Paths of Divergence
by ChilledSparksurfer
Summary: Vegeta becomes the Super Saiyan God and fights Lord Beerus instead of Goku. As he leaves to train with Whis, Goku and the other Z Fighters are inspired to return to their training and grow stronger. With higher stakes than before, and stronger opponents, can the Z Fighters achieve the necessary power they need to protect the Earth? SYOC! ((11/12) OC SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN!)
1. Battle of the Gods

**Battle of the Gods**

The sky returned to its normal state, and the Dragon Balls rose to the deep blue and scattered around the world once again. Goku looked back at everyone and said, "Well, you heard the dragon, guys! Guess we'd better get started."

"Hold on," Piccolo requested harshly, "are we _really_ sure that we have five pure-hearted Saiyans here?"

Goku looked back at his family and friends, specifically Gohan, Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks. Counting himself, there were five Saiyans. Counting the unborn quarter Saiyan child Videl announced she was pregnant with earlier at the party, that brought them up to six. But he could see what the former guardian was implying. "Vegeta's been fighting on our side for years now, he's definitely mellowed out. At least enough for me to call him pure."

Piccolo glared at the man. His skull was as thick as his power was insurmountable. "It doesn't matter what you think; what matters is that he actually is pure of heart. If I recall correctly, it was just a few years ago that he intentionally allowed Babidi to take control of his mind and slaughtered hundreds of innocent people at the World Tournament. And don't even get me started on how he allowed Cell to reach his Perfect Form."

Goku scratched his head in thought for a brief moment. "That's true," he admitted. "But hang on! When we made the wish to revive everyone good who lost their lives during the fight with Majin Buu, Vegeta came back. That's gotta mean something, right? Besides, Cell was years ago, and I did something similar with Frieza, didn't I? You shoulda' heard King Kai talking in my ear. _Boy_ was he pissed. And if you wanna keep splitting hairs, then technically, Krillin screwed things up pretty bad with Cell, too. But he's still pure-hearted. Or at least I would consider him to be."

"H- Hey, don't drag me into this!" Krillin objected.

"I get what you're saying, Goku, but Krillin and Vegeta are two different people," Piccolo stated. "All of this just means Vegeta's decent at best, and being decent doesn't necessarily mean he's pure of heart."

"Now hold on a second," Gohan interjected as he cast a furrowed brow at his mentor. "I think Vegeta's changed his ways. I would consider him pure of heart. Or are you forgetting how he sacrificed himself for everyone against Majin Buu?"

Vegeta, who stood quietly through all of this, scowled at the thought of his final atonement. He'd blown himself to smithereens, only for Buu to regenerate and carry out his destruction as if it were nothing. Furthermore, even once he was granted a second chance by King Yemma to fight Majin Buu once again, he was still powerless in the face of a monster that had grown even stronger, while his strength still stayed at its paltry, uncomparable level. Even now, against Lord Beerus, despite obtaining a power boost that finally put him above Kakarot, he was still unable to face the threat before them. As the Z Fighters continued to argue the case of Vegeta's purity, an anger swelled in him so fiercely that he couldn't stay quiet anymore.

"That's enough!" Vegeta demanded. Everyone turned their attention to the Saiyan Prince as he vehemently declared, "We're doing this, and _I'll_ be the one to become the Super Saiyan God."

"Wh- What?!" cried Goku. "Hang on, I thought I was going to become the Super Saiyan God!"

"If I may," said Dende as he approached the fighters, "Vegeta would actually be our best bet if we were to do this. We were all here to witness him surpass you, if only for a brief moment. If he were to become the Super Saiyan God, he would technically be stronger than you would, Goku."

"That's true," agreed Piccolo. "However, Goku's seen Lord Beerus fight multiple times. Vegeta may be the stronger one, but Goku knows how he fights."

"Well, would you really call all of us being beaten within seconds fighting?" asked Gohan. "Aside from their first fight on King Kai's planet, Vegeta's seen roughly the same thing as my dad has."

Vegeta crossed his arms as he recalled how quickly Lord Beerus defeated him, despite his rage-filled power boost. "I think you're forgetting the fact that Kakarot was beaten in three blows, while I took much more of a beating from him, and I'm not laying in some crater like he was."

Piccolo looked at Goku with a smirk. "He's got a point, Goku. Not even your Super Saiyan 3 could stand up to him, yet Vegeta was able to do more against him in Super Saiyan 2."

"C'mon, let my dad do it!" cried the young Trunks. "He's stronger than Goten's dad! He should do it!"

Krillin let out a restrained sigh as he admitted, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe we should give Vegeta a chance this time."

"And what if he botches this like he did with Cell?" questioned Tien. "I nearly Tri Beamed myself into early retirement trying to stop Cell, and Vegeta just went and let him absorb 18. He even kicked Trunks!"

Trunks looked at the Triclops with a furrowed brow. "Wait, what? What do you mean he kicked me? Who's Cell?"

"Great, now you've done it," groaned an annoyed Bulma. "I'll explain all of that later," she told the boy. "Right now, we need to decide who's going to do this!"

"Yes, you do," agreed Beerus, sending an ominous glare to the Z Fighters. "I'm starting to get impatient, and its most unwise to keep a Destroyer waiting. Either you produce the Super Saiyan God, or I'll destroy you all right now!"

"We've already decided! I'm going to become the Super Saiyan God!" Vegeta announced. "Now hurry up before we all get destroyed."

The five gathered around Vegeta with joined hands. Gohan, and a slightly reluctant Goku, placed their hands on the man's back. As they prepared, Goku took a minute to think about the ritual itself and concluded out loud, "Y'know, now that I think about it, I don't think this is something I'd want. I mean, I wanna be a Super Saiyan God and all, but I don't wanna get the power like this."

Goku's words were like sharp blows to Vegeta's chest. It made his blood boil that he had to resort to taking on the power of not just one, but five other people, including an unborn baby, in order to stand a chance against Lord Beerus. He looked over at the Destroyer, who had gone back to relaxing in the comfort of the beach chair. His mysterious attendant, Whis, sat next to him as they both continued to indulge themselves in another wonder of Earth's delicacies: fried calamari. Though their heads were down at their plates, he noticed their eyes were trained on him, and they remained curiously silent.

Vegeta began to feel their energy flood into him like water bursting through a dam. The feeling only intensified as those that could, ascended into their Super Saiyan states. The child inside of Videl, resonating with the other Saiyans, caused her hair to turn the same golden yellow.

"You feel anything yet?" an impatient Goku asked just a few seconds into the ritual.

"Shut up, Kakarot," barked Vegeta back at him. He could feel his own power skyrocket as all of their energies mixed inside of him, but it was nothing unusual one would feel when being given energy. But suddenly, an immense pressure began to build up inside of him from the base of his spine. It was as if his very essence was being rewritten by fire as a heat overtook him. His energy signature began to change. What was usually a sharp, defined power began to smooth out, and expand higher and higher until it became undetectable to the others. Beerus looked up from his plate and could feel something familiar resonate with him- the divine energy of a god. And it only continued to increase.

The pressure became noticeable to everyone on Bulma's property, which only expanded across the world as the ritual continued. People going about their daily lives stopped as they, too, could feel something in the air. The creation of a god on the humble, mortal planet of Earth unleashed natural calamities upon it. The skies turned dark, darker than they ever would with the appearance of Shenron. Mountains were torn apart as if they were paper being fed through a shredder. Storms brewed over the seas, wrecking ships and flooding nearby shores. Tornadoes rocked plains, torrential downpours of rain pounded on houses, and frigid blizzards ravaged the land as the Earth itself quivered underneath the power that was being harnessed within the Saiyan.

Vegeta rose into the sky. Goku and the others stepped back and witnessed as the man was enveloped in a light so bright that they needed to shield their eyes. Not even the Solar Flare shone with such intensity. It was as if a star was exploding right in front of them. The magnitude of his newly-found god powers could be felt around the world, but it was ten times worse at its eye- where Vegeta was. The Z Fighters and their family huddled together underneath the storm as the light continued to shine brighter and brighter.

Soon, the winds stopped, and the seas ceased their churning. The dark, awful clouds that once covered the sky parted, and the sun shone through once again with its beams of light. As the sunlight struck Vegeta, the light lifted from his body, and he descended not as a mortal man, but as a god.

Lord Beerus stood to acknowledge the Saiyan as pools of blood red leered back at him. "Well, it seems you were successful. Congratulations."

Vegeta took a minute to admire himself. He noticed immediately that his body, now imbued with the power of the gods, had shed some considerable weight and bulk. Crimson red locks stood up on end as they did naturally, and his skin had gained a healthier, pink tone to it. But he could feel an unfathomable power coursing through his Saiyan blood. A vast pool of untapped energy waited inside of him, so bountiful that he could scarcely believe it. This was how the warrior Saiyan race looked enveloped in god ki. "So this is it, huh?" he asked himself, almost unable to comprehend it.

Lord Beerus looked the man up and down, and concluded his examination with a small huff. "You don't look half bad, Vegeta. Now, let's see what you're made of."

Vegeta lowered himself into his stance, the same one he took against Kakarot in their first battle many years ago. Lord Beerus simply stood, relaxed, seemingly with no guard. But Vegeta knew better than to assume the Destroyer had no defenses. He would most likely block the first strike, which he did. Vegeta's right hook came crashing into the rough palm of the deity The force dispersed a shockwave that tore up the ground beneath them. It nearly blew Goku and the others back, but Lord Beerus hadn't moved an inch. Not even a single twitch from his arm.

There was no outward expression of shock on the Destroyer's face, but for the first time during his time of being awake, and for the first time in thousands, perhaps even millions of years, he was forced to genuinely guard an attack. Vegeta stepped back, unable to believe he was quick and powerful enough to strike the Destroyer. His confidence began to surge as a fiery red aura bleed from his muscles, making him appear as if his very essence was a radiant flame.

"Let's take this somewhere else," Vegeta suggested. Lord Beerus played along and followed the Saiyan through town to an empty, remote field so far into the wilderness that not even many animals were around. They passed a few dinosaurs, which made Lord Beerus a little uncomfortable, as he thought he had done away the species long ago, but now wasn't the time to think about this. His dream had finally come true.

Both of the warriors touched down on the grassy field in no particular spot.

"Come on, then," Lord Beerus said to the Saiyan.

Vegeta charged and led with a kick. The force of his boot crashing against Lord Beerus's forearm sent shockwaves rippling through the area. With his heightened senses, Vegeta could see the Destroyer's hand curl up into a fist. He moved back from the incoming uppercut and managed to swipe the deity off his feet. Lord Beerus stopped his fall with his hand planted firmly in the dirt, and let loose a kick into Vegeta's side. The Saiyan stumbled back a bit, clenching it to notice a crack in his armor. In a flash of heightened emotion, his ki swelled and burned so hot that it burned his armor plating off. He didn't pay it much mind, however, as he hadn't needed it in years anyway.

They exchanged blow after blow, fist striking fist. Lord Beerus was able to strike through Vegeta's guard relatively easily, as the Saiyan had not yet gained control of this power. But with every kick, punch, and dodge, he could see his movements growing sharper. After every attack the prince launched, Lord Beerus responded with one even stronger. He knew this would entice the Saiyan to tap deeper into the vast reserves of energy within him.

"Take this!" Vegeta cried as he jabbed Lord Beerus in the stomach. Such a victorious strike was short lived, as he was immediately kicked away Vegeta stopped himself before he collided with the ground, rather surprised that the kick didn't hurt nearly as much as he would have thought.

The fight continued and the two dueled across the skies, attempting to outspeed one another. At every turn, Lord Beerus would be there to meet him with a blow. Vegeta could always react in time to guard, but never to strike back. Not even feints worked, as the God could see right through them.

Goku and the others watched from afar, unable to sense their energy signatures, and at times, just barely being able to see the fight itself. "Man, they're really going at it out there," he said.

Krillin looked at his childhood friend, shocked at his somewhat relaxed tone. "You almost sound relieved you're not out there right now."

"Nah," Goku said as he forced his hands to stop twitching. "My body's aching to be out there. But… I can't say I would have been able to defeat him. Even after obtaining that power, Vegeta's just barely keeping up with him, and something tells me that Beerus is still holding back."

"You aren't wrong, Goku," said Whis as he appeared next to the Z Fighters. His orb projected a display of the fight overhead. "Would anyone who's having trouble following those two like to watch?"

Much to the surprise of the Angel, none of the Z Fighters took him up on his offer. He could see Goku adamantly opposed the idea, as he hardly even acknowledged him. His eyes were trained on the fight, and though he couldn't properly see, he was learning. Knowing how Vegeta fought also helped, as it allowed him to predict some of his moves. _He'll learn how to sense divine energy in no time,_ Whis thought to himself with an interested smile.

Back on the battlefield, Vegeta and Lord Beerus had finished exchanging blows and distanced themselves from one another. The Destroyer eyed his adversary carefully, and observed the Saiyan's divine energy pouring out of him like a fountain. "You're starting to get the hang of this, sort of," he commented. "I'm rather impressed, actually. I've never sparred against a warrior quite like yourself. You Saiyans are fast learners."

Vegeta stood in silence. His aura shifted slightly at the deity's words, flickering at the compliment. Lord Beerus took notice of the sudden fluctuation in the man's energy and asked, "What's wrong, Saiyan? Aren't you glad to be able to finally face me?"

"I am," Vegeta nodded. But as he admitted this, his fists tightened. "But I know now that this is a power I could never obtain on my own. Me, the Prince of all Saiyans, having to lower myself to accept energy from others- it's pathetic."

The Destroyer laughed at the man's words. "You speak of pride, yet wasn't it not even an hour ago that you put on a song and dance just to keep me from becoming angered?" The shock on Vegeta's face was apparent, as the Destroyer took the opportunity to appear behind him. "You know, I quite looked down on you for that. A prince lowering himself to such a shameful tactic, and out of what? Fear?"

Vegeta's elbow reacted out of shock, rocketing back into the Destroyer's stomach. Lord Beerus caught the blow with his hand and thrust Vegeta away. "You're still not seeing things clearly, are you?" accused the Destroyer.

"What do you mean?" Vegeta asked as he steadied himself and regained his composure.

"Your pride is foolish!" Lord Beerus proclaimed as he struck the Saiyan in the chest with an open palm. He felt a torrent of wind gush out of the warrior's mouth as he stumbled back.

It was for that instant that Vegeta couldn't follow him. He knew the Destroyer was still holding back, but to think that by this much, was phenomenal. "H- How dare you?!" Vegeta stammered. "You know nothing about my race! Because if there's one thing that's never foolish, and one thing that a Saiyan always keeps- ITS THEIR PRIDE!"

The Earth trembled underneath the rage of the Super Saiyan God. Vegeta's aura intensified, and burned like a raging wildfire consuming everything in its path. The ground beneath his boots was scorched with his red-hot energy pouring out of him. Though his anger was great, there was but a meager boost to his power.

"You may be a fast learner indeed, but you still have a lot to learn," commented Lord Beerus.

Vegeta took his stance once again. His eyes were steeled with a composure and determination so sharp that it could cut through the planet.

"Perhaps I should show you firsthand what you still fail to understand about this power," suggested the Destroyer.

"By all means," urged Vegeta, "come experience what it's like to fight a true Saiyan warrior!"

The two charged at one another. Their fists clashed, followed with rounds of punches and kicks colliding with one another. They matched each other blow for blow. Lord Beerus could feel the Saiyan's strikes grow more and more precise with every attack, and the pressure the man emitted began to grow. But this was still not enough for the Destroyer. Not enough for him to go above a paltry forty percent of his power at least.

Vegeta could see the deity was still toying with him, despite having agreed to enter a more serious battle. His fists tightened with rage as he was unable to figure out how to draw more from this Super Saiyan God power. The more he felt his emotions heighten, the more rigid his movements became.

"Oh dear, this simply won't do," Whis said in a rather disappointed tone. "He still hasn't figured out how divine energy works yet."

"What do you mean?" asked a confused Goku.

"The power of godly ki often does not respond too well to intense emotions such as anger or hatred. Though it can provide a boost in power in some cases, it's almost always only temporary or superficial. The true key to unlocking the full potential of divine energy is through being focused and calm. Traits that it seems both you and him as Saiyans naturally lack."

Goku turned his attention back to the fight, feeling a sudden, sharp increase in the pressure emitting from Vegeta. The prince had backed away and thrust both of his arms out in a very familiar stance. "Oh, what's that?"

"Oh, geez!" cried a frightened Krillin. "The last time he used that move on Cell, he nearly killed me and Trunks! I don't even wanna think about how strong that's gonna be with this new power-up of his!"

Lord Beerus looked on at the Saiyan curiously. "Oh, so we've finally started to use blasts now, hm?" He could feel the Saiyan's energy grow denser, and his entire body began to tense up with throbbing veins. The burning red aura flared up like a wildfire. The power Vegeta produced was certainly great, but it did nothing to elicit any form of concern from Lord Beerus. In fact, he appeared rather bored of the situation.

This, of course, only angered Vegeta even more.

"I'll teach you to underestimate me! If you feel so confident in your power, then you stay right where you are, _pussycat!"_

Lord Beerus recoiled in shock. "Excuse me?! What did you-"

"FINAL FLASH!" Vegeta screamed as he cupped his hands together and released a scarlet red version of his signature attack. The sky took on a red hue as his blast hurdled towards the Destroyer. Lord Beerus simply held out his hand and allowed the blast to smack into his palm. In the blink of an eye, it disappeared without a single trace. The sky returned to its original deep blue, leaving Vegeta so shocked that he could barely even move. It reminded him of how Frieza would kick his blasts away, or how that damned Cell Junior made such quick work of his Final Flash before. This, however, was something different. The Destroyer exhibited absolutely no effort at all in making the blast disappear.

"You nullified it?! But how?! That's impossible!" the prince loudly proclaimed.

Lord Beerus looked on at the Saiyan with a glare so vicious, it felt as if daggers had bore into his flesh. "I don't take too kindly to insults," he said as he slowly inched closer to him.

Suddenly, Vegeta felt the red hot pain of Lord Beerus's hand as it penetrated his stomach. He could do nothing. His body was completely frozen from a pain that he had never experienced before. It burned so intensely that he felt as if he would perish right there from it. Consciousness had already begun to fade, and the world around him grew dark as he fell to the ground.

"Seems you weren't the one I was looking for at all," Lord Beerus said with a bored sigh. "You're clearly not the rival I was looking for."

Vegeta fell to the ground. His aura faded, his body was paralyzed, blood poured from his open wound like a leaking faucet, and his psyche was all but shattered. As he lay there in the grass, he took this moment to reflect on himself. The Prince of all Saiyans had failed, and miserably so. He failed against Kakarot, he failed against Frieza, he failed against Cell, he failed twice against Majin Buu, and now, even with the power of a god, he failed against Lord Beerus.

_Damn. I'm such a fool,_ he thought to himself. _Is this it?_

"_Only if you want it to be,"_ a voice called out to him from beyond the realms of their world.

Vegeta felt a presence within him. There was a somewhat familiarity in its signature, yet he had never felt it before. _What? Who's there?_

"_Come on, Vegeta. You can't just go giving up now. There's still so much more for you to do!"_

_Alright, enough games! Have I gone mad? Who are you?!_

The voice chuckled at the man's questions. _"You sure do have a short temper, dontcha? You do realize that this Super Saiyan God power works differently from your regular Super Saiyan power, right? Anger will only serve to hinder you in this state, and states even further beyond."_

_E- Even further beyond? You mean, even with all of this power, there's STILL something that surpasses even this? … Hold on, how do you know so much about this power? A- Are you-_

"_You're the Prince of all Saiyans, right? The strongest there is, right? Well, it's time to prove it. Control your emotions, and rise even further beyond the realm of the gods."_

_W- Wait, hang on! _Vegeta mentally called out to the voice, but he felt its presence fade just as abruptly as it showed up. Whoever it was, however, their words touched him. From deep within him rose more power. He could feel the inner flames of the Super Saiyan God power burn his wound away, cleansing it and healing the area with its divine heat. A new wave of energy ignited from deep within him, scorching away the pain and exhaustion he once felt.

While the prince was out of commission, Lord Beerus had turned to the Z Fighters. They couldn't feel his energy, but his anger could be felt as plain as day as the air around them thickened with so much pressure that they could hardly breathe. "No pudding… and the Super Saiyan God was a bore… I must say, I'm rather displeased with this planet and everything on it. I think it's high time I destroy the Earth and head back home. Whis, we're leaving!"

"Just one minute, my Lord!" Whis said with his mouth full of a confectionery delicacy. Bulma had grabbed the others who were unable to fly and tagged along in a ship, and Whis had all but made himself friendly with the Earthling woman as he eyed the plate of desserts from the party. "And now what do you call these?"

"Um, donuts," said a very uneasy 18 as she clenched Marron in her arms.

Whis nearly squealed with delight. "These are simply marvelous! The powdered sugar coating around them is simply divine. You _must_ teach me to make them before Lord Beerus destroys the planet."

Marron began to cry loudly in discomfort. Whis paid the young girl no mind and continued to scarf down the desserts. 18 repressed the urge to remove him from the ship, simply because she knew she would be unable to. At the very least, Whis was occupied. And that would mean the Earth would spared, for now. But the Angel's gluttony gave the Z Fighters just enough time to band together. Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, and Tien, prepared themselves as Lord Beerus inched closer to them. Goku powered up to his Super Saiyan 3 form, knowing full and well that he was no match for the deity. But he had to try. Gohan unleashed all of the power he had, becoming clad in the white aura brought on by the utilization of his full potential. Piccolo channeled the inner power of his other halves, Kami and Nail, and Krillin and Tien drew out as much power as they could.

"This may be it," Goku said as his fists shook with fear. "If we go down, we go down fighting!"

Right as Goku was about to lead the charge, he noticed Vegeta close in on Lord Beerus. Before the Destroyer could even react, he was kicked across the plains and into the neighboring mountains hundreds of miles away. His collision into the hills brought the massive structures of nature down with a mighty explosion that ravaged the area so fiercely, the force rocked Bulma's ship.

"Vegeta, you're okay!" Goku happily exclaimed, powering down from his stressed form. "Man, I thought you were dead and we were gonna have to go another round with Lord Beerus."

Vegeta scoffed. "Please, do you really think I would allow something as small as a minor flesh wound defeat me?"

Goku took notice of the hole in Vegeta's battle suit where the deity had stabbed him. His skin showed no trace of any wound, not even a scar. "Whoa, did you heal yourself?!"

"It seems that there are still new heights for me to achieve. And right here, right now, I will surpass Lord Beerus and step beyond the realm of the gods!"

"Surpass Lord Beerus? Right now?" asked a baffled Goku. "Man, you're somethin' else. Just don't get carried away out there again. You know that the angr-"

"I can do this _alone_, Kakarot," Vegeta said with a scoff. "Besides, I've already been told that my emotions are what's getting in the way of achieving this power's true potential."

Piccolo gave the prince a side glance. "Hold on, who told you that? You were way too far to hear Whis when he told Goku just a few minutes ago."

"Never mind that," Vegeta quickly responded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a god to slay."

Lord Beerus rose from the rubble, clad in a violet aura that sent chills down the spines of the Z Fighters. The debris faded away as he his angered screams echoed throughout the world. "VEGETAAAAAA!" In a flash, he closed in on the Saiyan and began to drag him face first through the countryside. "Don't you DARE get cocky just because you got a hit on me! You Saiyans need to learn your place!"

"The only place you need to learn is underneath my boot!" Vegeta cried as he broke free and planted said boot firmly on the back of the deity's head. The kick caused Lord Beerus to release Vegeta, flinging him across the landscape. He brought himself back to his feet to see that he had dragged him all the way to the rocky, northern wastelands where he had previously done battle with Kakarot while being under Babidi's control. The area was still devastated with craters, but it seemed that nature had been trying to reclaim it.

Until now, that is.

"Let's see how you handle this, then, _Prince!_" Lord Beerus yelled as he fired a purple, atom-like orb from his hands.

Vegeta smirked, as he could hardly feel any sort of power emanating from the attack. He prepared to guard against it, but as it approached, every fiber of his being called out to him with the heaviest sense of foreboding. Suddenly, his body forced him to move away. The strange orb made contact with a nearby hill, and caused it to disintegrate within seconds. Vegeta looked on in shock as he imagined what would have happened if he tried to take that blast on himself. "What in the world is that?!"

As he looked back at Lord Beerus, he was surprised to see the deity in his face. That same purple energy surrounded his hand and was nearly pressed against the Saiyan's chest. "It's called, 'Energy of Destruction,'" he said, releasing an explosive wave from his hand.

Vegeta quickly backed away, feeling that same chill caused his hair to stand on end. He narrowly managed to avoid this Energy of Destruction, and saw how it completely decimated the area around Lord Beerus. There was no fire or flames from the blast- whatever it touched was just simply wiped from existence.

"I'll give you this, Vegeta, you may be hot headed, but you're certainly no fool. Had you touched this, you would have been obliterated. Not even your soul would exist anymore."

Vegeta folded his arms with a confident smile. "Guess I'll take some pride in the fact that I got a Destroyer to try to kill me."

Lord Beerus groaned loudly. "You should really learn when to stop stroking your ego, especially in the face of an opponent that has you far outmatched. You Saiyans- surely there's something else that means more to you than just your pride?"

Vegeta's fists clenched at the absurd question. "Seems you haven't been listening, Lord Beerus. To a Saiyan, power and pride is all!" As Vegeta rushed in to continue to fight, the fiery crimson aura that once enveloped him quickly faded. His energy began to become noticeable again, as he descended down into his Super Vegeta transformation. Vegeta didn't seem to notice the loss of his Super Saiyan God state, but everyone else certainly did.

"Whoa, what's going on? He's changed! He's back to normal!" Goku exclaimed.

No one could give him a proper response, save Whis who simply said, "It would seem that he's out of time. I'm afraid he won't be able to beat Lord Beerus like that."

Lord Beerus countered the prince's punch with an elbow to the face. Blood sprayed from Vegeta's nose as he stumbled backwards. He took notice of the Saiyan's reversion back to his Super Saiyan form, but kept his comments to himself. Though he had seemingly lost all semblance of the Super Saiyan God power, Vegeta continued to put up a fight. Lord Beerus couldn't help but smile, as this was the first time he had been able to let loose in hundreds of years. They both clashed, fist against fist, foot against foot, neither one of them letting up in their attacks. Vegeta would counter and parry most of the Destroyer's attacks now, having learned how he fought. Lord Beerus would properly respond with changing his style in order to confuse the Saiyan, but he adapted quite quickly to any changes he attempted to surprise him with.

Vegeta struck Lord Beerus in the face with a right hook. The Destroyer went flying into the ground. The impact made the prince smirk confidently, but there was a much different look brewing on the deity's face. Lord Beerus stood and wiped his face clean of the dirt to see blood on the back of his hand. His violet aura flared to life once again as he glared back at the Saiyan to see him full of openings. "Didn't I tell you to stop getting so cocky, Vegeta? You're letting your guard down."

Without Vegeta realizing it, Lord Beerus had closed in on him. His palm was on the man's face again, shoving him down into the dirt. But instead of dragging his face through the earth, he ignited his hand with godly ki and sent the warrior deep into the ground. Its immense pressure weighed down on him like a planet. Lord Beerus continued the onslaught of palm blasts, sending him deeper and deeper into the earth until they reached an underground oasis. Vegeta thanked the heavens for a break in the dirt, but just as he opened his mouth to draw in fresh air, water flooded his lungs. Lord Beerus pushed the Saiyan down into the underground lake, and continued to smash him into its bed.

The dirt and bedrock began to grow increasingly hotter. Finally, Vegeta had enough of this. He unleashed a power within him that caused his ki to swell as he ascended into his Super Saiyan 2 form. The sudden increase in power allowed him to break away from the Destroyer's grasp and finally catch his breath as a sharp, golden aura poured from his exhausted body. Sweat drenched the collar of his battle suit, and though he could breathe, he felt as if he were on fire. A quick look behind him allowed him to see that he had emerged in yet another cave deep underground, shoved all the way down near the core of the planet, where molten rock and lava flowed freely. The heat began to siphon away what little energy he had left in his exhausted body. "Damn it all," he said to himself.

"Have you finally become aware of your situation?" asked the Destroyer. "You've dropped out of your Super Saiyan God form, and now you're back to Super Saiyan 2."

Vegeta looked at himself. He noticed the golden aura bleeding from him, and his muscles having returned back to their natural density. "Well, that's just fine by me. I'd rather pummel you with the power I've worked hard to achieve on my own!"

Lord Beerus watched as the Saiyan resumed his fighting stance once more. "You may have lost the form, but the flames of Super Saiyan God still burns within you. It seems you've retained that power and made it your own; it's the only way you've still been able to put up a fight against me thus far. But it looks like we're about done here."

Before Vegeta could respond, the Destroyer clasped his hands together and slowly moved them apart. A fiery orb of ki sweltered between his palms and expanded as he widened the gap. It shined so bright that it made the Saiyan cover his eyes. Once he uncovered them, though, that small star had grown massively in size into a cataclysmic orb. It had a similar feeling to the Energy of Destruction that was introduced to him earlier, and it made him shake.

"This," Lord Beerus said, "cannot be deflected or crushed."

Vegeta looked back at the molten bed of lava, and then back at the Destroyer. "Stop this!" Vegeta yelled. "You can't throw that down here, you'll blow up the Earth!"

"What do I care?" questioned the Destroyer. "These billions of mortal lives are inconsequential to the desires of a Destroyer."

Vegeta prepared himself as he could see Lord Beerus begin to throw the gigantic sphere.

"It's been fun, Vegeta. Rather annoying at some intervals, but mostly fun. It's truly a shame we have to end this here! You're an extremely capable fighter! A rare genius, in fact! But here's where it all ends!"

Vegeta pushed his power as high as it would go as he curled his hands back behind him. His aura flared wildly, producing electricity that crashed into the lava beneath him. Much to the surprise of not only the Destroyer, but to everyone, Vegeta's power continued to skyrocket as he desperately called forth every bit of energy he had. It far surpassed anything he was capable of before ascending to Super Saiyan God. All throughout the world, tremors and earthquakes rocked its surface and layers as the two prepared for their final clash.

It was time. Both warriors brought out as much power as they could, and they fired their attacks. From Lord Beerus, he launched his devastating cataclysmic orb with a sharp kick. Vegeta thrust his hands forward and fired the most powerful Galick Gun in his entire life. The purple beam collided with the sphere and vicious struggle ensued. Vegeta could barely push back against the full power of the Destroyer, as the orb began to slowly consume his beam. No matter how much he forced it, there was only so much power the Saiyan could pour into his attack. Lord Beerus was at his limit as well, having thrown a Sphere of Destruction with his fully power. But it was only a matter of time before the orb had completely devoured Vegeta's attack, and he was forced to defend against it with his bare hands. The ball pushed him deeper and deeper. Soon, he could feel the heat of the lava right against his back.

Lord Beerus looked on at the Saiyan's struggle and asked, "Aren't you done yet? There's nothing more you can do! You've hit your limit!"

As Vegeta himself began to be consumed by the orb, something inside of him awakened. "Don't you dare. EVER. TALK TO ME ABOUT MY LIMITS!" he screamed from within the blast. A wave of pressure suddenly washed over him. His hair and body ignited with the fiery crimson flames of Super Saiyan God once more. He began to take the blast and absorb it. His body nearly tore itself to pieces trying to take on the power of the Destroyer, but it was the only thing he could think to do. Lord Beerus stood, shocked as he watched his cataclysmic orb disappear.

Soon, all that was left standing was Vegeta. His body shimmered with a mysterious scarlet glow that hadn't been seen before. The energy Vegeta possessed in this state surprised even Whis as he and Lord Beerus could feel the immense pressure he radiated. Lord Beerus readied himself, expecting the prince to come at him, but one look at him and he could tell the man was finished. What stood before him was the true power of a natural born Saiyan warrior that defied all logic and broke past his limits.

"Is that all you've got?" Vegeta said with his signature smug smirk. And with that line being the last breath that escaped out of his mouth, he collapsed. The strange form was lost, and the lava beneath him nearly claimed him. Goku managed to catch him by the ankle, having Instant Transmissioned just in time before the prince met his doom to the bubbling magma below.

"Don't worry, Vegeta. I've got you," Goku said.

"K- Kakarot?" Vegeta questioned weakly as he could barely open his eyes. "I- I-"

"Its okay," Goku assured him. "Save your streng-"

"I'm sorry."

Goku felt his body freeze in the magma chamber as the coldest chill he ever felt ran down his spine. He looked back up at Lord Beerus and knew this had to be it. With their only hope cradled in his arms, Goku pushed himself into his Super Saiyan transformation, sweat from both the heat and his nerves pouring down his face. "You wanna destroy the Earth? Go for it, but you're going through me again first."

"You Saiyans are quite interesting creatures," Lord Beerus commented. "I have to admit, out of everyone I've faced, Vegeta's my second strongest foe. Not counting the other Gods of Destruction from other universes, at least."

"Wait, other universes? What do you mean?" Goku questioned.

Lord Beerus chuckled. "See, I'm the Destroyer from this universe- the seventh. There's twelve in total."

"WHAT?!" screeched the Saiyan, somewhat excitedly. High above the Earth's core, Piccolo winced as the Saiyan's high-pitched shriek hurt his ears.

"If you think that's surprising, then you should know that my attendant, Whis, is far more than just an attendant. He's actually my martial arts teacher, and if you think you struggled against me, you're no hope for him!"

"That's crazy…" exhaled Goku. "Looks like we've got a long way to go, don't we, Vegeta?"

Vegeta responded with a sigh of indignation as he remembered the deal that was made if he lost the battle. _Not a very long way to Hell,_ he thought. He looked up at Lord Beerus and asked, "Well, what are you waiting for? Aren't you going to destroy us?"

Lord Beerus stretched and tossed his head back with a yawn. "Eh, I think I've done enough destruction to the Earth for now. Maybe I'll come back and finish the job another day. Perhaps then, with the proper training, you could be a real fight for me. Besides, if I destroy you guys now, it'll ruin this little moment you two are having."

Vegeta, having just realized he still allowed Goku to hold him, suddenly found the strength to escape from the man's grasp and float on his own.

Without even so much as a goodbye, the Destroyer returned to his attendant, and the two were back off into the cosmos. Goku popped himself and Vegeta back up to Earth's surface and into Bulma's ship. Everyone boarded, and Trunks and Bulma hugged their sweaty, beaten prince with tears in their eyes, exclaiming how happy they were to know he was safe.

"Is he really gone?" Bulma asked, wiping away the tears in her eyes.

"Yeah," Goku confirmed.

"But he'll be back," Vegeta added. "And when he comes back, I'm going with him."

"What do you mean?" Bulma asked.

"I need to see what lies beyond this power," Vegeta stated. "I **will** surpass him."

**. . .**

As the Z Fighters and their families returned to their homes, far off in space, Whis zoomed through the cosmos, enveloped in his light. Lord Beerus held onto his attendant's shoulders and let out another yawn. "Could you hurry it up, Whis? I wanna get back home and take a nap."

"My, today sure has tired you out, hasn't it?"

"You could say that," Lord Beerus admitted. "I just hope that Saiyan can give me a better challenge next time."

"It may not be for a while until he's ready to face you again. He's still got a lot to learn," Whis explained. "He's probably itching to come and train. It's just as well, I wouldn't mind going back to the Earth again for lunch. And not only him, but I'm sure that Goku will want to come along as well."

"You mean that other Saiyan?" Lord Beerus asked with yet another tired yawn. "Just thinking about him is making me even sleepier. You really think he's gonna be of any challenge to me?"

"He definitely has potential," Whis said. "I don't know if he'll obtain Super Saiyan God, but you should definitely be keeping an eye on him, too."

"Hmph. We'll see… for now, just get me home. I trust you packed snacks for the ride?"

"Why of course, my Lord. Only the finest from Earth." Whis materialized a box and handed it to the Destroyer.

Lord Beerus quickly opened it, and much to his delight, was a single container of pudding. "What?! B- But how? I thought that pink bastard ate them all!"

"Well, I managed to get the vendor to make one more while you were fighting."

As Lord Beerus shoved a spoon into the container, he paused to look at its delicacy and splendor just for a moment to savor. Fighting the Super Saiyan God was one thing, but this was something he craved above all else. Slowly, and delicately, he put the spoon into his mouth and wrapped his tongue around the utensil.

Whis awaited anxiously for the lord's exclamations, but found that he was unexpectedly silent. "How does it taste, my Lord?"

Lord Beerus sat there, face twisted and contorted at the foul taste of the desert. Unwelcomed pockets of watery liquid burst from the pudding and exploded in his mouth like fireworks. "Whis… are you absolutely _sure_ that Majin Buu didn't lick this one?"

"Well, I thought he didn't," Whis answered as he chuckled quietly to himself. "I do apologize, my Lord."

* * *

**AN: **Hello, everyone! First and foremost, I would like to welcome you all to the story. This is a rewrite of my old story, Diverging Paths. Some chapters have stayed relatively the same with only minor changes (such as previous chapters being merged together, or different scenes appearing in different places), but as the story progresses, changes will become more apparent. If you are coming from the original story, something you will notice in the next few chapters is that the Hirudegarn arc has been removed from the story, as it distracted too much from the main plot and the story became too big for me to write effectively.

If you have submitted an OC in the past, they are still going to be used in the story. If you would like for your OC to be removed from the story, please let me know as soon as possible. I have written many chapters in advance, and OCs are set to appear quite soon (fifth or sixth chapter). OC submissions are also open once again. However, they are only open for members of Cooler's Armored Squadron. If you are interested in submitting one, please check my profile for more information and the OC form.

I would like to extend my utmost thank you to all of those that have supported me while rewriting this story, as well as those that have submitted characters and continue to follow the story. This wouldn't have been possible without the help, kind words, and support of many people, and I hope to give you all the story you deserve. Happy reading!


	2. Paths to Power, Part 1

**Paths to Power, Part 1**

"Good, that's good," Piccolo applauded.

Gohan stepped out of his fighting stance and dropped his shoulders with an audible exhale. He wiped the sweat that drenched his head and fanned himself with the collar of his purple gi. His arm could barely cool him down, every movement causing it to ache with strain. "Thank you for training me again, Piccolo. I really appreciate it. I feel like I'm starting to reclaim my former self."

"Of course," Piccolo said to the young warrior. "Believe it or not, training with you also helps me out as well. You've shown me things about myself that I never would have otherwise discovered through training alone."

Hearing those words from his teacher caused a big smile to stretch across Gohan's face. "Thank you, Piccolo. I'm glad I could help you, too."

Piccolo could hear an ever so slightly sullen tone to the man's voice and asked, "Something the matter?"

Gohan lowered his head in deep thought, a concerned look causing his brows to furrow. "Its just I have such a long way to go. I never would have imagined that there was someone as powerful as Lord Beerus. And even after Vegeta became a Super Saiyan God, he still couldn't defeat him. I have to get stronger to protect Pan and Videl. I can't let up on my training again, but it's hard to balance work, family, and training."

Piccolo could sense a storm of frustration brewing in the young adult. "You'll get there, Gohan. We'll find a healthy balance between the three. You surpassed your father back when you fought Cell. At one point, you were the strongest warrior in the universe, above Majin Buu, even. But do you know why you failed back then?"

Gohan fell silent as he reflected on both of his fights with Majin Buu. He failed to prevent the monster from hatching, and even after his powers were awakened, he failed a second time to finish off his enemy. His power far surpassed Super Buu in his Potential Unleashed state, and even he thought the fight was in the bag. It was only when Gotenks and Piccolo were absorbed that the tide turned and he found himself outmatched yet again.

That was when he realized exactly what went wrong. "It's just like with Cell… I was too arrogant and let my power cloud my judgement. Worst of all, I endangered you, Goten, and Trunks. Just how I put everyone in danger back when I was with Cell. If I hadn't been so arrogant, maybe-"

Piccolo silenced him with a firm, but friendly hand on the man's muscular shoulder. With a squeeze, he said, "Gohan, look at me."

Gohan tore his gaze away from the ground and looked at the composed, serious eyes of his mentor.

"We all make mistakes. I've done the same thing. Remember back on Namek when I fought against Frieza in his Second Form? I could have defeated him, but I was far too arrogant and tried to fight him by myself. I should have fought with you and Krillin from the very start. And the same thing happened with Cell after I fused with Kami. I should have done more to guide you instead of letting you handle it all on your own. Your power was so great and you had matured so much that I thought nothing could go wrong. It's easy to get drunk off of your own power, or even feel comfortable in the company of someone else's overwhelming strength. But it's that complacency that will be your downfall. Don't ever stop improving yourself, even if those around you reach heights so insurmountable that you may never be able to catch up. Because at the end of the day, you can at least die fighting for the things that matter to you. And don't ever forget: there's always someone out there that's stronger than you."

Gohan's felt the knots in his chest unravel as he breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Piccolo. Hearing all of that from you really means a lot. For the longest time, I thought I was the only one who really kept screwing up. But I guess I was just focusing too much on my own mistakes and not moving forward. I'll work on my arrogance, and one day, I'll become the best warrior I can possibly be."

"That's the spirit," Piccolo said as he helped Gohan up to his feet. "I think that's enough for today. It's getting late, and I'm sure you've got work to catch up on. Besides, Pan and Videl probably miss you, too. How are they doing?"

Gohan's eyes began to beam as he said, "Oh, they're doing great! Pan's already flying, and she's barely even a year old! She's got a lot of potential. So much that it's even hard for my dad to keep up with her sometimes."

"Speaking of your father, what's he been up to lately? No doubt training, but did he go with Vegeta to train on Lord Beerus's world?"

"No, actually. I thought he was going to, but Whis refused to take him. I don't think he's handling it too well."

"Please, if anything, that probably just motivated Goku to train even harder on his own so Whis will take him one day."

"I hope so," Gohan said. "I haven't seen him train this hard since we were in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

**. . .**

Goku fell back into the rich grasses of King Kai's planet. His chest deflated with exhaustion as he threw the ropes off of him. He looked back at the weights he dragged around the small world with a proud smile. They were far heavier than anything he pulled in the past, weighing in at over thirty tons. "Man, pulling those things sure does take a lot out of ya' when you don't go Super Saiyan."

King Kai's face twisted in frustration as he looked at his lawn that had been decimated with unsightly tracks. "Yeah, well it sure does do a number on my yard, too!"

"Aw, c'mon, don't be like that," Goku moaned. "You're a Kai! You can fix it in a snap, can't you?"

"Just because I can _fix it in a snap_ doesn't mean I want to!" screamed the North Kai. "I've gotta say, Goku, you've really been taking me for granted lately. You haven't even wished me back yet!"

Goku laughed nervously and explained, "Well, you see, I was gonna do that when we summoned Shenron a few months ago when Lord Beerus came to the Earth, but the poor guy was so scared that he took off before I could ask him! Don't worry, though. I promise I'll wish you back as soon as I can!"

King Kai turned away from the man and grumbled under his breath. He could tell the Saiyan was lying through his teeth. "Yeah, you'd better," he grumbled under his breath.

"Hey, you got anything to eat? I'm starving," said Goku as he patted his empty stomach.

"Eat me out of a house and planet, why don't you?" complained the Kai as he retired to the kitchen. "Give me a second and I'll whip something up for you."

Goku thanked the Kai as he continued to relax in the grass. He watched the golden clouds roll by and reminisced how just a year ago, he was being thrown around like a ragdoll at the hands of Lord Beerus. How anyone could have been capable of such power that could far exceed his own was still a mystery to him. But he remembered that all of those times when he was the strongest in the universe, someone stronger would always show up. He never imagined someone as strong as Lord Beerus existed, but it also excited him to know that there were new heights for him to aspire to beyond Super Saiyan 3.

The thought of having the ritual performed on him, however, depressed him. Becoming a Super Saiyan God was a rather interesting thought to him, but as long as it could only be obtained through the ritual, it was just going to stay a thought. He pondered ways to achieve it on his own, and came back to a realization that he was already well aware of. If he wanted to reach Super Saiyan God without the ritual, then training with Whis would be his best bet. However, the Angel had already refused to train him multiple times.

_ "C'mon, Mister Whis! Aren't you finished yet?!" Goku pleaded. _

_ Whis looked up from his meal with Bulma and aimed a sharp glare at the man. This was the ninth time he was asked that question in the span of five minutes, and he had enough. "That's it, Goku. I warned you about your impatience, but you just refused to listen. You have potential, maybe even more than Vegeta, but I cannot train you while you act like this. Please, leave us alone."_

Since then, Goku had taken up a somewhat prolonged residence with King Kai, pushing himself harder each day. His strength increased considerably, but he could feel that something was missing. He found a new resolve to try and master his current Super Saiyan forms. His first Super Saiyan form had already become quite natural to him thanks to his training with Gohan in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and the second form was well on its way to being mastered. But he had quite a bit of trouble with the third form, as it still put a tremendous amount of stress on his body no matter how much he trained with it.

As King Kai set up the dinner table and began to bring out pots of food, he saw the Saiyan nearly drowning in thought. He could tell by the perplexed look on the man's face that he was thinking about how to better himself yet again.

They both sat down to eat, and while Goku viciously scarfed down plate after plate, King Kai watched him. The only other thing he'd seen Goku excited about aside from fighting, was eating. But as King Kai observed his pupil devour his cooking, he began to think about the man's training regiment and how he fought. He knew a staple of the Saiyan race was their ability to transform, whether it be into a Great Ape or into a Super Saiyan. However, in many of Goku's fights, King Kai observed something quite critical about him.

"Goku, have you ever thought that you may be relying too heavily on your transformations to win fights?" King Kai questioned.

Goku looked up from his plate of food, sauce all over his face, and asked, "What do you mean? Going Super Saiyan is how I get stronger and win fights."

"I realize that, but what I'm asking is, are you really training yourself, or _just_ your transformations? Think about it. When you meet an opponent you can't defeat in your base form, you transform into a Super Saiyan, multiplying your strength. But if you're having to transform against every enemy you encounter pretty early into the battle, you're not really getting that much stronger. Instead of training the transformations, you should train your base strength. That's the only way you'll truly get stronger when you transform."

Goku put down his plate and thought back to his previous fights since learning how to transform. What the North Kai said was very true. Against Android 19, he wasted no time in transforming, and the same could be said when he faced Cell and Majin Buu. Even when he trained in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Goku never thought to increase his overall strength in his base state, but only to ascend to a higher strength. It hit him that he really had been relying on his transformations this whole time, and while they were powerful, he realized that he had been overlooking the true potential that could be brought out from his Super Saiyan forms. The weights that he dragged around earlier were heavy in his base form, but he knew they would be nothing to him if he were to transform.

"I see now, King Kai. So I've been using my transformations as a crutch. If I really want to get stronger, I need to increase my base strength as I am now, then that'll make my Super Saiyan forms stronger!"

"Well, that's pretty much what I just said, but yes."

"But then wouldn't that make Super Saiyan 3 even more of a strain on my body? Back when I trained with Gohan, we stressed our bodies by staying in Super Saiyan constantly, and now I don't feel any strain at all with it, and hardly any strain with Super Saiyan 2. But no matter how long I try to stay in the third level, it doesn't get any easier."

"I've been thinking about that, too," King Kai responded. "Tell me, have you ever considered growing out your tail again?"

Goku shook his head immediately at that question. "No way. It's way too dangerous for me to do that. If there's ever a full moon and I accidentally look at it, I could kill someone!"

"But you saw how strong it made the Saiyans when they came to Earth, didn't you? Even before they transformed. It's safe to assume that Raditz and Vegeta hadn't trained a day in their lives, yet they were about equal to or even a little stronger than you when you first fought them, and you had been training practically your entire life. Now, I believe their age had something to do with that since they were older, as well as the fact that they had been pillaging planets for years, but I also think their tail contributed to their strength as well. I think that your tail, or rather, your Saiyan power, could help you. Who knows? There may even be some secret within the Great Ape form that everyone is oblivious to. It's been theorized that form is the true appearance of the Saiyans back in ancient times, but that's just a theory."

"You're saying that there's something in the Great Ape form that we're all ignoring?"

"Again, exactly what I just said, but yes. Just, whatever you do, don't go practicing control over that form here! My planet is nowhere big enough to do that. If you wanna do that, try to find a remote planet with no life. Or even the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. The only issue you'll face is trying to find a full moon to look at to trigger the form."

"Don't worry," said a suddenly assured Goku. "I think I know just who to talk to for that."

**. . .**

Vegeta slipped on his new black battle suit and reported to the grounds for his daily training. The suit came with a white armor breastplate, but he had discarded it long ago. Armor made of such flimsy material wasn't going to be saving him from any lethal attacks anytime soon, unless they were from Nappa.

Whis appeared on the grounds just as Vegeta arrived. "Ah, good morning, Vegeta."

Vegeta bowed respectfully and bid the Angel a good morning as well. He rose and remained silent as he awaited further instructions from the being he had since come to call his teacher. It was a rather odd experience for him, as he had never allowed anyone to teach him anything in his entire life, not even his father or Bulma. But humbling himself was worth it if it meant he could one day surpass Lord Beerus and become the strongest in the universe.

Whis led Vegeta to an open area, a grassy field just south of the Destroyer's tower. This was where he did most of his combat warm-ups in which Whis would task the man with trying to hit him within two hundred strikes. Though Vegeta was never successful at this, it was a good way to get his blood flowing in lieu of stretching, and it helped to sharpen his senses for later exercises. This would take about an hour, or two if Vegeta was tired.

Once that was complete, they would move on to other exercises, chosen by day. Monday and Tuesdays were days he would work on improving his physical strength. This was done with activities like carrying a weight around the planet on a track with sections rapidly disappearing behind him. Each time, the weight would grow a little heavier, and the path would disappear a little quicker. The fact that he would have been thrown into a different dimension if he fell was more than enough of a motivation for him to keep up. Once Wednesdays and Thursdays rolled around, Whis would have Vegeta focus on his endurance. These were the days he would spend doing various chores around the grounds, such as changing Lord Beerus's sheets while he slept. Such a task would have been rather mundane, were it not for the fact that the Destroyer viciously tossed and turned in his sleep. His writhing would be so intense, that it forced Vegeta to focus on his reactions and movements to change the sheets and avoid waking the Destroyer. Though, Vegeta sometimes had the feeling that Beerus was definitely awake and toying with him. As if that wasn't enough, Friday and Saturdays would be focus solely on ki control and instincts. The training for those would vary from meditation to full on combat training with Whis. And finally, Sundays would be reserved for rest, something the Saiyan would desperately need by this point. No matter how much he tried to get used to the training, things would change, and his body would be stressed and ache in new ways he never thought possible.

As Vegeta attempted to strike Whis for his combat warm-ups, energy began to pour from his body like a faucet. Whis took notice of this and halted him with the palm of his hand. "Vegeta, what have I told you about keeping your energy under control? You're letting your energy flow too freely, and you're wasting it. You need to keep it inside of you to not only keep your opponent in the dark, but maximize your power."

Vegeta pulled back and examined himself. His ki was indeed spilling out of him at an alarming rate. Dissatisfaction in his mistakes caused his fists to clench. Had he not been wearing gloves, his nails surely would have dug into the palms of his hands. "Damn, I don't understand. It's been a full year and I'm still having this problem."

Whis tsked the man as he shook his head in discontent. "Now, now, there you go getting frustrated again. Look at yourself, Vegeta. You're wound up so tight that it makes you hard for you to move."

"But I thought tensing my muscles was the way to keep my energy inside of me," responded the Saiyan.

Whis chuckled. "Well, no wonder why you're so tense lately. Just because you seize everything up doesn't mean your energy will stay in. In fact, that may cause it to spill out more. You're approaching this with too much of a narrow mindset. Proper ki control is attained through a mastery of one's emotions and power. You walk through life with a chip on your shoulder, and this chip is quite the heavy one, is it not?"

Vegeta turned away and crossed his arms tightly across his chest. He only responded with a huff as the Angel continued.

"If I may, from what I've examined, you seem to be thinking an awful lot about that other Saiyan, Goku, haven't you?"

Hearing that name made Vegeta's face scrunched up and his teeth grind together. "You just _had_ to bring him up."

"Well, of course I did," explained the Angel. "After all, he is the reason why you're here, isn't he? To become stronger and surpass him?"

"I've already surpassed him."

Whis could see the Saiyan tighten up even more, and his energy continued to pour out of him like a fountain. "But I can see the pain from the years of always being his second is still there. You told me a few years ago you resolved to start improving yourself for your own benefit, rather than just for the sole purpose of surpassing him. But just because you _say_ you're going to do something, that doesn't mean you just automatically start doing it. It takes time to heal from this, and it takes even more time to change these habits."

"So what, you're saying I'm not trying?"

"Oh no, you're definitely trying," Whis admitted. "Just in the wrong ways is all. You approach things head on with your anger and arrogance, rather than remaining calm and focused. You apply this to all things in your life- training, fighting, and even everyday situations. It's why Goku is always one step ahead of you, because he takes a more practical approach to things. He uses his head."

Whis examined the Saiyan's reaction. He at first stood, baffled that the Angel would dare call Goku anything other than a moron. But Whis figured that would get a rise out of him, and he could see Vegeta's body continue to tighten up as his emotions swelled. Those words cut deep, but Whis knew they were something he needed to hear, and it was obvious that no one had ever told him this before. At least not in this fashion. "Your training begins with how you respond to this, Vegeta. Sure, you can get angry and dismiss it. Or, you can relax, and learn from this."

Vegeta's arms continued to cross tighter and tighter. He just about crushed his ribs as he struggled to swallow the Angel's words. His blood boiled with such rage and intensity that his face nearly turned red from the heat. But instead of stewing in those emotions and allowing himself to get even angrier, he did something that surprised the Angel. He took a breath, as he hadn't for a while. And with this breath, his shoulders relaxed, and his arms fell to his side.

Whis smiled. "Good. Now, we can really begin your training."

**. . .**

18 stood out on the balcony of her home. It was a two story house that had been mostly purchased with the prize money she had received from taking dives to Mr. Satan in multiple World Martial Arts Tournaments. She admired the view that her not-so-hard work had allowed her to have. From her balcony, she could see far out into Satan City. At times like the late evening, such as right now, the way the sun set over the horizon and reflected off the many skyscrapers gave the city an orange tint as if it were covered in beautiful flames. It also proved convenient, as her superhuman eyesight allowed her to keep an eye on her husband while he was out and about on his job as a police officer.

"Hey, 18! I'm heading out!" Krillin called to her.

18 turned back, expecting to see her husband dressed in his police uniform. But her eyes widened as she saw him dressed in his old Turtle Hermit gi. "Krillin, what's going on? I thought you had to work tonight."

Krillin chuckled nervously as he explained, "Ah, my co-worker's covering my shift for me."

Her face was rather still, though he could tell by her glare that she wasn't just going to let him leave it at that. After a few years of being with her, he'd learned how to read her mostly emotionless face and empty eyes. There were subtle hints that gave away her emotions, such as a small furrow of the brow or a corner of her lips curled up.

"That doesn't answer my question," 18 pressed with a dead tone. "Why are you dressed in your martial arts outfit? Where are you going?"

Krillin's nervous chuckles did nothing to sway his wife's concern. Finally, after a long sigh, he admitted, "Well, I know we agreed to give Marron a relatively normal away from all of the fighting that we used to do, but I've been thinking lately: what if that Lord Beerus guy comes back? Or worse, something else? I couldn't even jump in and help out like you and the others did back then. So, I'm gonna go stay at Master Roshi's for a while and have him retrain me. Then I'll take responsibility for my own training, and aspire to get stronger like I used to! Maybe even train with Goku again."

18 folded her arms over her heart that skipped a beat. The corners of her mouth shifted, depressing into a small scowl. "Krillin, we've talked about this. I can understand that you want to get stronger to protect us, but you're not cut out for threats like Lord Beerus."

"Jeez, you didn't have to be so blunt," he pouted.

"I'm serious, Krillin," she stated sharply. "I'm lucky Lord Beerus didn't kill me, and you know how strong I am. You need to leave fighting guys like that to Goku and Vegeta. Just think about what could have happened if you jumped in and he decided to destroy you! Marron could be without a father right now."

"Thinking about that is why I've decided to start training again," Krillin answered. "18, I know you're concerned, but don't you trust that I can handle myself?"

18 turned away from her husband and retreated outside. She fixed her gaze out on the city, and within seconds, spotted a purse snatcher with a stolen bag tucked underneath his arms. She could already imagine her husband swiftly taking the thief down. At times, she would stand and watch him as he patrolled the city or chased after criminals. Never once did he return home injured. Maybe upset that the many lowlifes and scum he put away had the gall to do what they did, but there was never a scratch on him. _But this is different,_ she thought. _Majin Buu and Lord Beerus certainly weren't anything close to the kinds of jerks Krillin deals with everyday._ She couldn't help but think about what it would have been like if Krillin fought Beerus. The image of him being destroyed played in her head countless times.

Krillin could see the conflict brewing in his wife, how her body became more rigid, and her arms were crossed tightly around her chest. He went to accompany her on the balcony. "Listen, I know you're concerned, but I've faced strong enemies before and came out fine. Besides, the more I train, the more I can make sure that you, me, and Marron will be okay!"

18 gripped the railing, nearly warping the metal underneath her hands. Her husband's naiveté frustrated her to no end. Despite that flaw, it happened to be one of the reasons why she fell in love with him. It was still hard to believe that he smashed the remote Bulma designed to activate her all of those years ago, and even went as far as asking Shenron to remove the bombs planted in her and her brother's chests. He even did these things against the wishes of his friends that he'd known for ages, knowing full and well of the consequences. But it made her realize that she could trust him, as he was the only one who stuck up for her.

"Fine," 18 said with a defeated tone. "But after you're done being retrained by Master Roshi, I want you to come back and train with me."

Krillin jumped. If he still had hair, it would certainly be standing on end right about now. Fortunately, he had shaved just before putting his gi on. "Y- You?! You want me to train with you?! I thought you only liked fighting for the money.

18 smirked at her husband and suggested, "Well, maybe I've got something to protect as well. Besides, if you really want to get stronger, then you should come train with me. Goku may be crazy strong, but knowing him and his recklessness, he'll probably wind up killing you. I've seen you fight, and I know all of your weaknesses. Train with me and I'll toughen you up real good."

Krillin rubbed the back of his shaved head in thought. "Well, you do have a point," he admitted. "Goku's all about power. I don't know how much stronger I can actually get, but if I wanna stand a chance against tougher opponents, then I've really gotta hunker down and work on my weaknesses as a martial artist and not just focus on strength alone. With Master Roshi's years of experience, maybe he knows a way I can put up a fight against stronger opponents."

"That's the spirit," 18 smiled.

Krillin's face began to turn a bit red as he confessed, "You're so much stronger than me. I don't know how much you can get out of training with me, but I promise I'll try to help you improve, too!"

**. . .**

"You're not nearly as impatient as that Gohan boy," the Elder Kai chuckled as he flipped through his magazine.

Tien chuckled uncomfortably as he attempted to avert his gaze from the piece of literature the Kai was reading, if it could even be called that. It had just been a little over twenty-three hours since the ritual began, and with every new page, there was a new woman in some sort of pose or scantily clad outfits. He caught a glimpse once and saw a woman's unmentionables, and since then, he struggled to not look. Such desires were distasteful and improper for him to swoon over, but he could certainly understand why the deity was so enthralled by these women.

"So… about that promise you made me," the Kai brought up, "just when am I going to meet this Launch girl, hmm?"

"Soon, I promise," Tien said, lying through his teeth. _There's no way I'd ever make Launch kiss him, even if he's the Supreme Kai. Hell, she'd probably shoot him if he even tried anything._

Elder Kai narrowed his eyes at the Triclops with heavy skepticism. "I do hope you're not lying to me. Goku and Vegeta said the same thing and neither one of them came back with their wives. How ungrateful of them!" he snipped. "I mean, honestly, we allow them to do battle on our sacred grounds and I don't even get a kiss?! You Earthlings sure are selfish."

_Just smile. It's almost over soon,_ Tien kept telling himself. "I'd like to extend my thanks to you once more, Supreme Kai."

"Don't mention it," Elder Kai said. "We owe you for your bravery when you stood up to Majin Buu. If you hadn't intervened and distracted him when you did, things could have really taken a turn. I mean, they did anyway, but you being there helped, if not just a little bit."

"Thank you, but I would like to do more than just a little bit next time," Tien stated. "I don't typically ask for help like this, but if you can draw out my dormant powers, I think I can awaken the abilities of my Third Eye. I can't help but feel like something resonated within me when I fought Buu and Lord Beerus. It was like… there was this warm pressure."

Shin raised an eyebrow at their conversation, and couldn't help but interject. "I'm sorry, did you say a 'warm pressure?' That's very reminiscent of how divine energy feels. Are you sure you felt what you're describing inside of you and not emanating from Lord Beerus?"

"That's what I thought at first, but I felt it when I fought Buu, too. That same exact feeling. Even now as I sit here with you two, I can feel it. It's like something within me is calling out."

"Perhaps you have some of your own divine energy within you," Elder Kai suggested. "That Third Eye of yours can make you more naturally inclined to forge your own godly ki. Do you know the extent of its powers?"

"I don't," the Triclops answered. "I don't even know of anyone that could help me. My family and my clan all passed a long time ago when I was just a child. I'm the only Triclops left."

"You could always go to the Check-In Station and ask King Yemma to point you in the direction of your clan," implored Shin. "Who knows? Maybe you'll find someone that can help you."

"That's not a bad idea," Elder Kai agreed. "I'm just about finished up here if you want to take him, Shin."

"I'd be glad to, if that's something you're interested in, Tien?"

The Triclops shot up. "Yes, please!"

"Hey! You can't move while I'm doing this!" Elder Kai yelled. "You're lucky I'm pretty much done, or else we would've had to start this all over again."

Tien calmed himself and apologetically bowed to the Old Kai. "Please, forgive me. It's just been so long since I've seen my parents, the thought of seeing them again is exciting."

"Well, Tien, whenever you're ready, we'll go," Shin smiled.

**. . .**

King Yemma gazed down at the soul before him. His glare pierced through the small, white amalgamation as his voice bellowed, "You think you can get into Heaven when you cut in line?! Think again! Straight to Hell with you!" Before the soul could even beg or plead, the ogre's massive hand brought down a stamp on the soul's paperwork with a massive boom, and banished them from the Check-In Station. With a heavy, cathartic sigh, he pulled out the next folder and opened it. "Next up… Jaco! Seems here you were cut down by… bad pork? What a way to go. But for your service in the Galactic Patrol, I'd say you more than earned your own spot in Heaven."

When the ogre looked up, expecting to see a soul in front of him, he saw the black, spiky hair of a familiar nuisance. But he welcomed the nuisance with a smile, despite the fact that he was very obviously alive and had cut in line. "Ah, Goku! I wish you would give more respect to the rules here, but it's always good to see you. How can I help you today?"

"Yo, King Yemma! Great to see you too. I was wondering if you could look something up for me? I'm trying to find my father, but I don't know his name."

Curious, King Yemma sat back in his chair and pulled open a drawer from his desk. He began to comb through numerous files. "Well, this isn't going to be easy. I can tell you where your Grandpa Gohan is, but as far as your birth father… Do you know how he died? Or when?"

Goku scratched his head in thought. "Hm… I don't know when he died, but it would have had to be before I was born, at least. As far as how he died, I know most of the Saiyans were wiped out when Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta."

"That definitely narrows it down!" cried the ogre as his large fingers began to pull out a small collection of files. When a soul passes through the Check-In Station and they receive judgement from King Yemma, the history of their life is recorded, which serves as the catalyst for an acumen. Finding a specific person was difficult in and of itself, but as long as a time and day of death can be provided, even if it was an estimate, it would assist him that much more. His search continued for a few more seconds until he looked back up at Goku with a dejected expression. "Well, seems as if there's no record of anyone that appears to be your father checking in, but I _do_ have a file for what appears to be your mother. Does that help?"

"Sure!" Goku beamed. "I didn't even consider that. Where is she?"

King Yemma grabbed the file and flipped through it. His voice lowered as he shook his head with a bit of disdain. "My, seems she's in Hell. Though, most Saiyans that came through the Check-In Station were sent down there. Rough group of people, they were."

"Well, she is a Saiyan after all. Even after all the good Vegeta had done, he still got sent to Hell when he sacrificed himself against Majin Buu."

"One act of good doesn't erase years upon years of bad," King Yemma added. "Same for your mother. Looks like she was a fighter in her earlier days and helped pillage some planets, but calmed down in her later years."

"No kidding?" Goku asked with an interested smile. "Man, I bet my dad was a fighter, too!"

"Perhaps you can ask your mother when you see her. Her name is Gine."

"Gotcha. Thanks a ton, King Yemma! See ya later!" With a touch of two fingers to his forehead, he was gone in an instant.

King Yemma turned his attention back to the long line of souls that stretched as far as the eye could see. "Anyway, where were we?"

**. . .**

It had been quite a few hours since Goku touched down in Hell. He continued to trek through the depressing landscape of dark, dull colors. Though nothing had really changed since his last visit many years ago, via taking a fall off of Snake Way, the place was still rather interesting. There were plenty of mountains to climb, and the blood fountain still retained its coppery smell. Aside from the few ogres that worked throughout the realm, bodiless souls aimlessly roamed the lands. Since passing through to the Other World and being judged by King Yemma, many of ill repute were deemed unfit to keep their bodies, and their existence was reduced to nothing but a small, puffy cloud form that was similar to a small Flying Nimbus. Hardly any of them had memories, and most were subjected to an eternity of wandering. Only a few could talk, but those that did, seemed only to be capable of incoherent mumbling.

He clutched his stomach as its roars of hunger echoed throughout the mountains like the roar of a lion. His stomach continued to howl and soul approached him, seeming to be attracted by the sound. The soul pranced around him, as if it were happy to see him. "Oh, hey there! Maybe you can help me? I'm looking for someone, but I don't quite know his name or where to find him."

"Oh, Bardock!" cried the soul. "It's been an eternity! I was beginning to think I would never find you!"

"'Bardock'?" Goku repeated. "Uh, sorry, but I think you've got the wrong person. See, my name's Goku."

The soul stopped and looked up at him. Then it looked him down, and then up once more. With a huff, it questioned, "But your hair? And your… face…" It suddenly fell quiet as it gazed at the man's face. Its voice suddenly took on a rather feminine tone as it asked him for his name once again. Goku repeated his name, but she huffed and clarified, "No, your _Saiyan_ name."

"Oh!" Goku chuckled. "Sorry, it's rare that I get asked that. My Saiyan name is Kakarot, but I go by Goku. I was raised on Earth by my grandfather, Gohan."

"K- Kakarot?! Truly?!" the soul cried.

Goku could sense a rising emotion within the soul he now felt comfortable addressing as a female. "How'd you know to ask for my Saiyan name? Can you tell that I'm a Saiyan?"

"Well, I would hope I would be able to! I was hoping you would know who I am, too! But I know the last time you saw me was when you were a baby, so I can understand. Also… I don't quite have a body, as you can see. But what in the world are you doing here, Kakarot? Don't tell me my son is dead?!"

"No way!" chuckled Goku as he pointed to the top of his head. "See, if I were dead, I'd have a halo above my- WAIT, YOU'RE GINE?!"

"Yes, silly!" giggled the woman. "I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know that you aren't dead. But what are you doing down here?"

"Oh, gosh!" exclaimed Goku as he grew a bit red with the wave heat and blood that rushed to his face. "This is so weird! I can't believe I found you! I was actually trying to find my father because I needed to ask him something."

Gine let out a disappointed sigh and revealed, "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen your father down here at all. What did you need to ask him?"

"Well, back when Vegeta and I fought a long time ago, he said that my father was an average warrior, but a brilliant scientist. I needed to ask him about artificial moons and tails!"

"Oh," chirped the Saiyan woman. "I'm sure I could be able to help you out! I did help him figure out how to create an artificial moon, after all."

"You did?" Goku asked with a smile. "Oh, wow! Okay, well this is great, then! I've got an idea. How would you like to have your body back for about… 24 hours?"

"Oh, that would be lovely!" she gushed.

"Alright, then grab on!"

"I don't have hands, silly."

"Er, right," Goku said as he carefully took the soul into his arms. He had never held one before. Her essence was so warm and familiar that he almost didn't want to let her go. In a flash, he teleported him and his mother right to the Check-In Station. Much to the chagrin of King Yemma, Goku had popped up at the very front of the line once again.

"Well, that didn't take too long," King Yemma said. "I see you found her. But why did you bring her here?"

"Do you think you could give her a 24 hour pass to have her body back?" Goku asked.

King Yemma looked down at the spirit Goku cradled in his arms, and he began to bear his sharp teeth at the man. "Goku, you can't just bring spirits from Heaven or Hell like that and just expect me to do what you want! We have rules and regulations to follow! Do you have ANY idea how much paperwork that is? We can't give those passes to just anyone!"

"Aw, please?" pleaded Goku as he held out his mother's soul. "C'mon, I just wanna spend some time with her! I've never even seen her before!"

Though Gine had no body, and therefore no face, King Yemma could tell she was putting on her best puppy-dog eyes, as was Goku. "You two sure do act like you know each other by the way you're both begging me. I'm sorry, Goku, but the answer is no."

"But what if the world is in danger?" Gine suddenly questioned. "Would you allow me to help him then?"

King Yemma gave the woman's soul a curious glare. "Danger? What sort of danger?"

Goku smirked at his mother, having felt mischievous intent within her. "Oh, yeah, King Yemma! There's this, uh… real bad guy, you see! And he's gonna take out half of the universe with a sort of… um… a gauntlet! Powered by Dragon Balls!"

"H- Half of the universe, you say?" questioned a quivering King Yemma. "Good Heaven and Hell, that's almost just as much paperwork as when Majin Buu rampaged around the universe! And you say your mother here could help you?"

"Yeah! She sure can," Goku insisted. "C'mon, King Yemma, you'd better hurry! We only have a day to do this and we need all the time we can get!"

King Yemma quickly rummaged through the drawers of his mahogany desk and pulled out his massive stamp. Beads of sweat were already pouring from his head as he frantically searched for the necessary forms. The second he found them, he stamped them and shoved them aside. "There! Now hurry and go before half the universe is wiped out!"

"Thanks, King Yemma," Goku said with a snicker. He wasted no time in teleporting out of the realm and back into the world of the living. They appeared on the Lookout, underneath the midnight sky of the Earth. There was a sudden weight in his arms. He looked down to see his mother had gotten her body back, and he now held her. She was a rather slender woman, and her hair was long and wild. A brown, furry tail fell from her lower back, coming out of a hole in her traditional black Saiyan armor. "Oh, wow! You really are a Saiyan!"

Gine looked up at her son, and then up towards the sky. It was nothing like the reddish-pink tones of planet Vegeta, but she could at least tell it was well into the night. "Where are we?"

"This is Earth; it's where I grew up!"

"My goodness," said the woman as she hopped out of her son's arms. "The gravity is so light here! I feel like I could just fly away like a balloon if I'm not careful," she said with a chuckle. "Now, where is this, exactly?"

"This is the Lookout," Goku stated. "Its where the Guardian of Earth lives. He watches over the entire planet from this place."

Gine wandered over to the edge and looked down. The only thing she could see were thick mounds of clouds. "Wow, your guardian must have great eyesight if he can see all the way down there!"

"Well, he can sense energy, so he doesn't _actually_ look down."

Gine turned to the man with her eyebrows rose a notch. "What do you mean? You can actually sense energy? As in you don't need a scouter?"

"Nope!" Goku declared. "Funny thing, whenever we would power up or transform, those things would always break anyway. They do a pretty bad job of sizing someone up."

"Transform?" asked the woman. "Ah, you must mean into a Great Ape! That's only to be expected. Such a sharp increase in power was always difficult for the scouters to read."

"Oh man, I've got a lot to show you."

* * *

**AN: **Hey, everyone! I just wanted to thank you all for the positive reception I've received on the rewrite so far. As a reminder, OC submissions are still open and will not be closing any time soon. Previously submitted OCs for the Galactic Patrol and newly-submitted OCs for Cooler's Armored Squadron are set to appear around chapters 5 and 6. This story will progress a lot faster than the rewrite, so I'm in high need of OCs this time around. If none are submitted, then submissions will be closed. So spread the word!


	3. Paths to Power, Part 2

**Paths to Power, Part 2**

Gine's shoulders fell with a long sigh as a familiar level of gravity began to weigh her down once she stepped over the threshold of the center building in the time chamber. "Now this is more like it," she commented, being able to jump without feeling like she would float away.

"Yeah, I love it here," Goku agreed. "It's even better once you get past all the environmental factors and the endless void!"

Gine suddenly fell to her knees as she noticed what her son was talking about. In front of her was an endless expanse of nothing as far as her eyes could see and more. The air suddenly grew so scorching hot that it made her feel like there were daggers in her throat. She began to choke, and Goku quickly rushed to her side and pulled her back over the threshold. The cool air emanating from the building put her lungs and heart at ease as she was able to slow her breathing. "Erm… sorry about that," she apologized with a face reddened by embarrassment.

"No, that's fine!" Goku exclaimed. "Please, don't be sorry. This place is already tough enough as it is with the fact that its a separate dimension. Throw in the awful weather and lack of.. Well, anything, and its enough to overwhelm anyone!"

"But you seem just fine," Gine commented. "I take it you've been here before?"

"Yeah, I came in once as a kid but I wasn't ready and it nearly killed me! And then a few years back, I trained with my son in here to defeat Cell."

"Cell? Who's that? … Wait, you have a son?! I'M A GRANDMOTHER?!"

Goku could see the woman was beginning to hyperventilate, though it confused him as they were out of the training area and in the safety of the building. "Hey, are you okay?"

"This is just… so much to process," Gine said, trying to steady her breath. "But I want to hear all about it! I want to hear about everything you've gone through, and how you came to this planet. Tell me, did Raditz ever find you?"

"Uh… yeah, about him…"

Gine could see her son hesitated to continue the sentence. But it was clear by the strife shown in his face that there was something he was ashamed to tell her. "Let me guess- he tried to kill you, didn't he?"

"How'd you know?"

"Raditz was always somewhat of a wild child, and he never really showed much interest in you when you were born. I can't say I'm surprised he tried to do that. What happened exactly?"

Goku started from the very beginning, from when Raditz came to Earth, to when they both perished at the hands, or rather, the fingertips, of Piccolo and were sent to Other World. During his recanting of events, his mother sat there, listening intently with an unchanging, unsurprised face. Though Goku could tell she felt for the situation that unfolded between her two sons, she still seemed rather unvexed at the atrocities Raditz committed.

"And that's that," finished Goku with a long sigh.

"I'm sorry for his behavior," Gine apologized. "I wish that Bardock or I could have been there for you two while you were growing up. Perhaps this tragedy could have been avoided if Frieza hadn't done away with us all. I knew we should have escaped with you, but your father… he's rather headstrong. Once he decides something, there's no changing his mind. He insisted that we would come and find you once everything blew over, but he fell with everyone else. Still though, he put up quite the fight against the Frieza Force and even Frieza himself. Or so I hope. I never got to see it for myself, but I like to think he really had some choice words for that tyrant."

"Whoa," gawked Goku. "You mean my dad really tried to stop it all?"

Gine nodded. "He was the first and one of the only ones to catch on to Frieza's plan to destroy us. Everyone laughed when he tried to warn them, but boy am I sure they all feel quite sorry now. Especially King Vegeta, I heard he was cut down in a rather… non miraculous fashion."

"Wow, I was wondering if my dad was a fighter. Guess that answers my question! I'm just glad that we don't have to worry about Frieza anymore."

Gine perked up a bit, brows furrowed at her son. "What do you mean?"

"We did away with Frieza a long time ago on Namek," Goku started, and from there he began to explain the events that took them to Namek and everything that transpired on the planet. While he struggled to recall what he was absent for, he told the story of his battle with the galactic tyrant in heavy detail as he could see his mother gazed at him with interest in his anecdotes.

"That's incredible!" Gine exclaimed. "To think, my son became the legendary Super Saiyan and defeated Frieza?! Bardock would be so proud of you, Kakarot. _I'm_ so proud of you, Kakarot. It's hard to imagine a world without Frieza, but I can't imagine it's too different from King Cold's rule, though he was much more benevolent than his son. Not to mention his other son, Cooler. Though… I only heard of Cooler in rumors. I don't know if his existence was made up to scare us into submission or not, but I do wonder what King Cold and his army are up to. I know he retired shortly after Frieza was given control over the armada."

"Well, I don't know anything about any Cooler, but that King Cold guy is dead, too."

"WHAT?! B- But that's impossible! How?! Did you kill him too?"

Goku shook his head. "That was all Trunks, this Saiyan from the future."

"My goodness. Now there's time travel? You've certainly been through a lot, Kakarot."

"Well, now that I think about it, I guess I have, huh? There was Raditz, Vegeta, Frieza, Cell, Majin Buu, and now Lord Beerus. Things sure have changed recently."

"You'll have to tell me more about your life while we're here; I want to hear everything! But first… would it be okay if you showed me this Super Saiyan transformation?"

"Sure!" he chirped, stepping out into the vastness of the chamber. "You ready?"

She nodded, and he proceeded to power up. A golden aura began to bleed from his body. His hair shot up, and turned the same brilliant gold as the energy that now enveloped him. The once dark, black eyes that were reminiscent of his father were now a steely and composed green. "This is a Super Saiyan, the form I achieved and used to defeat Frieza with."

Gine remarked with a gasp as she felt the force of the transformation cause the ground beneath her to vibrate calmly. Her son had completely changed his appearance, and bulked up in muscle. Had he been walking around Hell in this state, she might not have recognized him. It was still hard to believe that he had obtained the legendary form, let alone used it to defeat the tyrant that enslaved their people. "That's incredible!" she exclaimed. "Truly, I never would have thought I would have lived to see this day! … I mean, technically, I didn't, but you know what I mean!

"Just you wait," he told her. "I've only just begun to scratch the surface of what I can really do." All at once, he tensed his muscles, and sent his own power skyrocketing past the limits of a regular Super Saiyan, and ascended. His body bulked in mass, and his hair grew sharper with a few of his bangs now standing up as well. Lightning danced around him. It reminded her of the lightning storms she would often see on Planet Vegeta. At this point, she hadn't yet learned how to sense energy, but the ground trembled beneath his feet like an earthquake as power poured out of him. "And this, is a Super Saiyan who has ascended past a Super Saiyan. But for the sake of simplicity, we call this Super Saiyan 2."

Gine trembled at the sight of her son. She could hardly believe that not only was she witnessing the legend of the Super Saiyan within her son, but now saw the evolution of that legend.

Goku lowered himself and clenched his fists. "And this…" he said with a deep breath, "is what it means to go even further beyond!"

"You can still go higher?!" cried his mother as she was nearly blown away by the sudden increase in Goku's power.

Goku began to tap deep into the wellspring of energy he possessed, and pulled out every single ounce of power he had to push himself beyond the limits of Super Saiyan 2. His screams echoed throughout the chamber as he continued to draw out more strength. The ground quaked more viciously than ever before, and even outside of the chamber, Dende and Mr. Popo could feel the Lookout quivered before his might. His hair began to extend further out, falling to the small of his back. Sparks of lightning grew so intense that they struck the area around him.

Gine had to shield her eyes, the glow from her son nearly blinded her. But once she uncovered them, she was speechless. There were no words in any language that could have properly articulated the amount of shock and awe she had for this.

Goku turned his gaze to his mother and announced, "And this is Super Saiyan 3, my highest transformation. And to think, there's still another form beyond this- Super Saiyan God."

Gine collapsed. The excitement of the situation had overwhelmed her. Goku reverted

back to his base state and helped his mother up. "Are you okay?!"

"S- Super.. Sa- Saiyan God…" she muttered as she slipped in and out of consciousness. "That power looks incredible! No wonder you were able to defeat Frieza. You've gotta be the strongest in the whole universe now!"

"Believe it or not, there's three people that outclass me by a severe margin. Vegeta's got me beat now, and then there's the God of Destruction, Lord Beerus who has an even bigger gap. And if you think that's crazy, his attendant Whis is the strongest in the universe."

"Ah! The King's son is alive?!" Gine gasped. "If Raditz and Vegeta survived, I wonder if there are any other surviving Saiyans out there?"

"Well, I know Vegeta's got a younger brother named Tarble, but other than that, I don't know of any other full-blooded Saiyans. There's my sons Gohan and Goten, and Vegeta's son Trunks, and Gohan actually just had a quarter-Saiyan child named Pan."

"The Saiyans live on, huh?" she smiled. "I would love to meet them some time! I didn't know you had a family."

"Definitely!" Goku agreed. "Once we're finished here, I'll wish you back with the Dragon Balls and then you can come stay with us! I'm sure Chi-Chi won't mind."

"Wish me back? You mean you can bring people back to life?"

Goku nodded. "Yeah! I've died at least two times now and here I am, alive and well. I'll just have to make a quick trip to Namek, gather them up, and then bam! You'll be alive again!"

Tears began to well up in Gine's eyes at the thought of being alive once again. "Kakarot… you really don't have to do this, you know. You hardly even know me, and I don't know what kind of life I could even have now that so much time has passed. Bardock, Raditz, and everyone else are all long since gone… What would I do?"

Goku thought to himself for a moment. Everything his mother said was true. It had been over forty years since she or any of the other Saiyans had been alive. "Well, we could wish Bardock and Raditz back, too!"

"Can you really do that with these Dragon Balls?" she asked. "Just what are these things anyway?"

"The Dragon Balls are these sets of orbs that can grant whoever gathers them all a limited number of wishes. You can't wish for anything, but the dragons can grant most things, like if you want money. One time a friend wished for a pair of panties, and they've brought me and millions of other people back to life, so I don't see why we wouldn't be able to revive Raditz and Bardock. In fact, we _could_ even restore Planet Vegeta."

"Truly?!" she gawked. "What would the Prince think of this?!"

"I'm… not sure. He's never seemed too interested in wishing everyone back, though from what I heard, a lot of the Saiyans back then weren't the greatest. Maybe I should talk to him before I do this. After all, he is the Prince. I don't know if he'd even want to rule over everyone anymore."

"Well if you wish everyone back, the King would be back, too! If Prince Vegeta doesn't want anything to do with the planet, then I'm sure King Vegeta would still want to keep his title."

"Man, its weird to think Vegeta's got a dad, too. I wonder what he's like."

"He's a very proud man," Gine stated. "He worked very closely with King Cold, until Frieza took over. That was when everything took a turn."

"That's not surprising, considering how bad of a guy Frieza was. Speaking of him… do you really think he's got a brother out there?"

Gine let out a small sigh as she tried to recall the rumors she heard. "Well, I only ever heard his name mentioned here and there in passing, but I don't think it's impossible that Cooler exists, or that there's more of the Cold family around somewhere in the universe."

Goku could feel his blood begin to boil with excitement. Heat rushed to his head and sweltered, almost making him transform. "Man, just the thought of fighting Frieza's family is getting me all fired up! That's why I've gotta get my tail back and get stronger!"

"I was wondering about that," Gine said as she examined her son's backside. "What happened to your tail?"

"I lost it when I was a kid. It was just too dangerous to keep around. I accidentally stepped on my grandfather when I was a Great Ape."

Gine's shoulders depressed with a huff. "I'm so sorry, Kakarot. I wish I could have been there to help you, but thankfully, I can be here now for you! Are you sure getting your tail back is something you want?"

"Absolutely," he firmly stated. "I need to do this."

"If that's truly what you want, then I would be happy to help you!" she beamed as she grabbed a long pair of pliers. "The process simple, really. All you do is just make an incision where the tail used to be, and just pull it back out!"

Goku winced at the thought of not only being cut open, but having a hand tool reach inside of him to pull something out. It almost scared him as much as the thought of having a needle being stuck in him. "Gosh, that's… are you sure this is the only way to do it?"

Gine nodded. "Don't worry, I've done this for a few other Saiyans too who lost their tails in combat. It shouldn't hurt _that_ much."

But it did. Goku's screams and shrieks were so loud that Dende could hear them from the Lookout. He just about screamed a hole through the dimension like Super Buu did years ago, but thankfully, Gine was able to pull her son's tail out before that happened.

The excruciating process was worth it. As Goku began to train again, he could feel his power multiply exponentially. With each strike he threw, his Saiyan blood boiled hotter than ever. His fists began to cut through the air like knives, and his kicks sent shockwaves that echoed throughout the realm.

**. . . **

"Here we are," the old Mr. Lao said as he led Tien to a small cabin deep in the woods just south from the Chazke village.

"Thank you," Tien said with a respectful bow. "Are you sure you're okay to make it back to the village on your own?"

The man scoffed with a chuckle. "I've lived in these forests my whole life, and I know them like the back of my hand. If I don't make it back, I'll have to hear it from my daughter, and that's worse than any other trouble I could get into out here. I have to admit, though, I was surprised to hear from a student of the Crane School, and even more surprised at your request."

"This is something that I have to do, not just for my people, but for myself," Tien affirmed.

"Well, should you have any trouble or need anything, you are always welcome in the village," Mr. Lao smiled as he took his leave, slowly making his way back into the forest with the support of his cane.

Tien stared back at the cabin. There was a very faint energy signal inside, and though it was muffled, he could hear violent hacking and coughing. It unnerved him to raise his hand to the doorknob, but once he turned it and pushed the door open, he was met with a rather unpleasant odor, a mix of grass and grease that came with age. The cabin was dark, almost to the point where the monk was unable to see. Old, tattered curtains were drawn over the windows, and what little beams of sunlight pierced through acted as a spotlight for the thick film of dust that was in the air. The hacking continued, though much louder now that he was inside.

"Hey, who's there?!" a raspy voice called out in between coughs. A frail, bony hand reached out to open one of the curtains, and sunlight flooded the room and illuminated both Tien and the man that sat in an old rocking chair. The man looked over at him, frozen in shock. His mouth almost dropped to the floor, and his small, beady eyes could barely believe what they saw. "I- It can't be…"

"Hello, Master Shen." Tien found it hard to say any more once he laid eyes on the man. He was but a shell of his former self, the healthy tone in his skin now a pale, ghostly white. Though his body was covered with a blanket, he could tell by his sunken face that the man had been wasting away, clinging to life for some time now.

"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" Master Shen asked in a rather aggressive tone. "Have you come to put an end to me? Did my brother send you?"

Tien lowered his head and pushed down the tight discomfort in his throat. "Mister Lao from the Chazke Village guided me here."

"That old fool," Master Shen spat. "A good-for-nothing failure, that man is! He runs that store in his small village with his holier-than-thou attitude, but I see through his fake generosity! That man comes here and brings me food, and expects me to thank him. Pfft! I can get by on my own!"

Tien narrowed his eyes at the man in an accusing manner, but stifled his anger and calmed his face. "You haven't changed one bit, have you?"

"And you have?!" he fired back. "Don't you dare come in here and tell me who I am, when you're the one who betrayed everything the Crane School stood for! You and that man-child Chiaotzu were my greatest failures!"

Tien felt his blood boil again. But before he could say anything, Master Shen was hunched over, high-pitched croups threatening to tear his lungs apart. The man's depressing state washed away the anger that was brewing in his face, and he fell silent.

Master Shen looked at up his former student with such animosity. "Don't you look at me like that!" he barked. "Have some respect for the man you once called your master!"

"It's rather interesting you mention the notion of respect. Tell me, did you have any respect for me and Chiaotzu when you made us scam all of those villages? Did you have any respect when you ordered me to kill Master Roshi at the World Tournament?"

"Those fools deserved everything we did to them!" Master Shen raged.

"Just like my clan deserved what you and your brother Tao did?"

Master Shen froze. No words, no coughs- the man barely even did so much as breathe as the Triclops looked at him. There was a long, uncomfortable silence between the two. Neither one of them wanted to speak, Tien waiting for his old master to say something, and Master Shen not wanting to say anything.

Finally, Tien broke the silence. "I went to visit my father in Other World. I know what you two did- you poisoned their crops and their water, assassinated the farmers and leaders, and stole their land. You've so many committed atrocities against my people."

"... What do you want, Tien?"

"I just want to know why. Why did you do it? But most of all, why did you take me in? Why did you spare me?"

"Because of the hidden potential within you," a familiar voice said. Both Tien and Master Shen turned back to see Mercenary Tao standing in the doorway with a disgustingly smug smile. Having been augmented with cybernetic technology since nearly meeting his end to his own grenade by the hands of Goku, his enhancements allowed him to sneak up without being detected. "We knew of the power that your clan held when they accessed the powers of their Third Eyes, and we couldn't just let that go unchecked. You all could have brought an end to us, what with your father's righteous sense of justice. So, we did what we had to do. And then when it was all said and done, you were the only one left. A small, screaming, irritating baby."

Tien's face shifted into horror with a sudden realization. "In order to unlock the powers of my Third Eye, my mind must be clear and my heart must be pure. You two corrupted me, controlled me and held me back this entire time so I would never pose a threat to you. Why not just kill me along with the rest of my family?"

"This is true," Tao confirmed. "But as it turned out, you would up naturally surpassing us anyway. You have a gift, a natural inclination to fighting that neither one of us ever had. We wanted to use that gift, but we were too wicked. Figures that those powers of yours would only work with a pure heart. We took you in because we thought we could use the power within you to become unstoppable. But you failed even in that, Tien. A disgrace through and through."

Tien looked back at Master Shen, whose face was contorted with emotional conflict and regret, but still retained that same level of hostility and contempt. "You two… you're both truly despicable."

"You have no room to talk," Tao accused. "Your hands are just as stained with blood as ours, Tien. Any judicial system would have you executed for the crimes you've committed. Do you really think you can stand here now and claim you're better than us?"

"I've claimed nothing of the sort," Tien clarified. "I only came here for the truth, because the truth will set me free. And it has. I could be angry or bitter just like you two, but that's not what I need right now. Right now, I have to continue on the legacy of my clan, and be someone that they can be proud of."

"How noble," Tao scoffed. "You'll never achieve the power you're searching for. You'll always be worthless, just like my brother over there. Don't act so high and mighty. You know you want to lash out at us."

"The best revenge I can possibly get on you two is to show you that neither one of you affect me anymore. I think we're done here," Tien concluded as he made his way past Tao and outside. "It's sad to see that you two still haven't changed after all of these years, but it's time I started walking my own path to power, free of you two: the path of forgiveness. I forgive both of you for what you've done, but not for your sakes. I forgive you, and I forgive myself, for myself."

Tao grabbed the man by the wrist, his cybernetic arm providing a rather impressive grip that stopped him. "You worthless three-eyed freak, do you really think you can change? Your place is here with us, just as it always has been."

"My place is out there in this world, in this universe, helping in any way that I can. Now, remove your hand."

Tao smirked. "Don't think just because you've grown stronger that you're worth something now. You'll always and forever be a worthless piece of tra-"

_**"I said remove it."**_

Tao jumped back. In that moment, there was something different about Tien. Something that terrified Tao to his core. There was a sudden heat in the air, and his eyes had changed from their dark tone to more of a gray, almost silver shine. His voice lowered in tone and echoed with a boom that nearly shook the cabin apart. The cyborg mercenary backed away, hands up to show that he had no intention of stopping him anymore. He and his brother both watched as the Triclops took his leave, never to be seen again by him.

**. . .**

Goku stepped back into the building and wiped the sweat off of his drenched head. He took his orange overshirt off and wrung it out. The drops of his body's perspiration that poured from it quickly made a salty pool of water at his feet. Even his boots had collected pools of sweat inside of them. His mother reeled back in disgust and demanded he go take a shower.

After cleaning himself up, Goku slipped on some comfier clothes that his mother made him, and sat down at the dinner table for lunch. In front of him were prime cuts of various meats that the refrigerator of the chamber had to offer, prepared in very generous amounts for him by Gine. She watched him eat with both astonishment and glee as she exclaimed, "You've got your father's appetite, that's for sure!"

Goku barely paid her any mind as he continued to scarf down the food. Gine began to dig in as well, savagely devouring the choice cut steaks and slabs of ribs. It took them mere minutes to finish their meal, and once it was over, Goku was back out into the void training once again. After Gine finished washing the dishes, she accompanied him and watched his progress.

"You've gotten a lot stronger since you've come in here," she commented.

Goku touched down in front of her and let out an exhausted sigh. "Yeah, I've been doing all I can to increase my base strength so my forms can be stronger. I have to say, I don't think I've ever pushed myself like this before, and it feels great to have my tail back again! I feel like a whole new person."

"You mean you feel more like a Saiyan," Gine corrected him. "Do you think you're ready to start working on mastering your Great Ape form now?"

Goku looked away with a bit of hesitation. "I am, but I don't want to hurt you. Ever since you taught me how to make a Power Ball, I've been a bit concerned about becoming a Great Ape again. Back when I would turn into one, I'd only be a raging monster. I even killed my grandpa on accident. I don't want that to happen to you. If anything were to happen to you now, you wouldn't exist anymore."

"Well, lucky for you, I know of a safer way to do this! You can conquer the primal mind through meditation. This really only works for calmer Saiyans who can bear to sit still for quite some time, like you and me. I tried to teach some other Saiyans about it, but they just never had the patience. And you seem like you're rather patient. Or you can be if you really tried to be."

Goku looked at her, wide-eyed and skeptical. "You mean I can really get control over it through meditation?"

"Well, it doesn't work for _everyone_," Gine stressed, "but it's worth a shot! Let's go back inside and try."

Goku and his mother returned to the building, away from the stress of the ever-changing environment. She pulled out a soft matt from underneath the bed and invited her son to sit down on it. Goku did as instructed with a somewhat disappointed look pulling his face down. "Man, I was hoping there'd be some intense way to do this. But turns out, I've just gotta sit around?"

"Meditation is more than just 'sitting around'," she insisted. "It can actually be a bit complicated, especially for the more aggressive Saiyans. You need to relax your entire body and focus on that feeling you had when you were a Great Ape."

"I don't remember what it felt like, though. I never had any memory of what I did or how it felt when I transformed."

"Ah," sighed Gine. "That's normal for those that aren't quite yet used to the transformation. Maybe try focusing on your tail?"

Goku nodded and closed his eyes. It took him a while to fully relax, as his every fiber of his being itched to get back out into the training area. _This'll get me stronger,_ he reminded himself. As he kept repeating that mantra to himself, his body slowly began to unwind. His shoulders fell, and tension was expelled from his body with each breath. As he focused on his tail, he could feel the muscles in it causing it to sway back and forth. Despite having had it again for nearly six months, it still felt quite foreign to him. Every pair of his pants had to have a hole in the back for it now, and sitting in a chair without a gap in between the seat and back of the chair was quite uncomfortable.

_"That's why you should always keep it wrapped around your waist. Not only does it make sitting easier, but it prevents your opponent from cutting it off," _his mother constantly warned him.

As his thoughts focused only on his tail, he suddenly felt a gust of hot air from behind him. He opened his eyes to see that he was no longer in the Time Chamber, but in a dark, concrete room. The hot air continued to blast him, as if something was breathing on him. He turned around and backed away, as he came face to face with the huge nostrils and blood red eyes of a familiar creature. Steel bars separated the two from one another. The bars were placed so close together that the monster couldn't even fit its smallest finger in between them.

Upon their eyes meeting, the creature let out a roar so vicious, that it snapped Goku back to reality. He awoke from his meditative state in a cold sweat and gasping for air.

Gine rushed to his side and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Goodness, Kakarot, are you okay?!"

"I- I'm fine," Goku said in between breaths. "Its just… I saw it. For the first time, I saw the Great Ape inside of me."

"It can be a lot to process at first," she commented. "It looks like you were able to go into your subconscious and meet that side of you. That's the first step! And now the second step is reasoning with that primal mind. It may take some time, but if your father and I could do it, I'm sure you could, too!"


	4. The Ape Within

**The "Ape" Within**

Goku snapped back to reality with a cold sweat. "Dammit!" he swore, fingers pulling at his wild hair.

"No luck again, huh?" Gine asked.

"Every time I go back into my subconscious, all that ape does is yell at me. No matter what I do or say, its like its really angry at something."

Gine scowled at her son's choice of words. "Well, _that ape_ is an extension of you, after all. Is there anything or anyone you're angry at?"

"No," Goku stated. "I've got no reason to be angry with anyone. Life's been great, more or less."

"More or less?" Gine questioned. "Kakarot, from what you've told me, you've been through quite a bit throughout your life. I mean, for goodness sake, your own brother tried to kill you, you faced the tyrant that had enslaved your people and spared him, only for him to force you to kill him. And later in your life, you had to be gone to miss your sons grow up. Are you _sure_ you're not angry at something?"

Goku let out a long sigh as he admitted, "Well, I just… don't really think about those things, I guess."

"That's a common trait amongst Saiyans, especially male Saiyans. Because of our natures, often times, us Saiyans can be so enthralled with fighting and becoming stronger that we can become addicted to it. And once we're addicted, it's all we can see. It can make us forget about the parts of our lives that truly matter, like friends, family, and good food."

"I do love me a good meal," Goku smiled as his stomach began to growl.

Gine handed him a piece of meat pie. "Here, eat. You need to keep your strength up."

Goku stared down at the decadent slice of pastry and began to dig into it with a fork. Rather than actually consume the pie, however, he mostly just pushed it around with the utensil. An odd behavior for him, as all the times Gine had seen him eat, he wasted no time in scarfing down everything in sight. "What's the matter? If you don't want the pie, I can get you something else."

"No, no. It isn't that," Goku claimed. "It's just… aren't you mad at me for killing Raditz?"

Gine's chest deflated with a heavy breath. "Well, I can't say I agree with what you did. But I know Raditz, more than I know you, at least. He's like his father, quick to anger and prone to violence. And it didn't help that he was running around with Prince Vegeta either. But I digress, you did what you had to do. If anything, I'm more mad at Raditz. If I find him in Hell, he's gonna get a real ass whooping, that's for sure."

"That's another thing," Goku began, "why're you in Hell, anyway? From all the things I've heard people say about Saiyans, a majority of them are made out to be cold-blooded warriors. But you're so calm and sweet, like my grandpa. You couldn't have possibly done so much bad that it warranted you getting sent to Hell!"

Gine chuckled nervously. "That's where you're wrong. I'm more calm than most Saiyans, but that doesn't mean I was necessarily a good person. I did grow up under King Vegeta's rule, after all. Back in the old days I was a part of the army. Before I got discharged, I helped conquer many planets and killed hundreds for the glory of the Saiyan race."

"How come you got discharged? Were you hurt?"

"No, no. It wasn't due to an injury. I was actually dishonorably discharged," Gine admitted. "When I was born, I was classified as a Low-class Warrior. In fact, I was the lowest of the low. If your power level is low, then you usually aren't allowed to become a warrior. But I tried to anyway. I had this crazy dream of becoming an elite in the army, and maybe even being a general. But it was stupid."

"Hey, don't say that," Goku told her firmly. "I was a Low-class Warrior according to you and Vegeta, and now I'm one of the strongest people in the universe! It doesn't matter what power level you're born with; what matters is how you use it and become stronger. I think with proper training, anyone can surpass an elite if they work hard enough."

"Your view on the world is refreshing," Gine sniveled as tears began to form in her eyes. "But really, I was never cut out to be a warrior. The harsh reality is that not everyone is truly cut out for fighting, and I just happen to be one of those people. But that's okay, I've accepted it, and I've moved on! After the army, I had a great job as a meat distributor, and I met your father. I don't regret leaving the army, and I don't regret my life after it."

Goku placed a comforting hand on his mother's back as she dried her tears. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry."

"Oh hush, you're fine," Gine assured him. "I had to get that out anyway. It's just so strange to see how differently you and I were brought up. But I'm happy that your pod landed on Earth and that you grew up in a supportive environment."

"... How come you guys sent me away?" Goku asked hesitantly.

"It was the standard protocol for infant Saiyans with low power levels," she explained. "Trust me, we didn't want to, but that was the law. We were going to try and find you, but shortly after, we were killed by Frieza. I always knew he was crooked."

Goku let out a sigh of relief. "Man, thank goodness. For a minute, I thought it was because you guys didn't want me or something."

Gine abruptly smacked her son on the back of his head. "Don't you ever think that!"

Goku cradled his head as the throbbing pain caused tears to form in his eyes. "Ah, okay! I'm sorry! Yeesh."

"You'd better be," she asserted. "So hey, how much time do I have left?"

Goku checked the clock hanging from the wall and told her, "Looks like we've got about maybe a month left? I think that translates to about one hour in the outside world. Why?"

"Let's try meditation again," she urged. "But this time, I'll join you in your subconscious. I'll act as a mediator between you and your Great Ape. Maybe that way, we can figure out what the problem is."

"Gotcha," Goku said. The two of them shut their eyes and began to focus. Over the months that Goku had started meditating, it was rather difficult at first for him to calm his mind and focus enough to enter his subconscious. His body itched to train, to fight, but the constant reassurance that this was for the best allowed him to relax and release the pent-up tension within him. Complete concentration was still difficult, but he was able to relax himself in a matter of mere seconds now, as opposed to the thirty minutes to an hour it took him when he first began meditating. Through slow, deep breaths, Goku was able to reawaken in his subconscious. With his mother's hand in his, he applied the telepathy he used to read the minds of Gohan and Krillin back on Namek when he first arrived. Only this time, he reversed the process, allowing Gine to see into his mind.

The stench of sweat and musk welcomed Goku back to the dark room he had become familiar with. Behind him was the cage where the Great Ape sat. It was rather quiet, unusually so. Upon arrival, the Great Ape would often roar at him, and continue to do so until he left. But as his mother accompanied him in spirit, the monster seemed to feel her warmth, and was soothed. For once, it looked a little calm.

"Well, here we are," Goku announced. "Strange, though. He's not screaming at me this time."

Gine looked up at the Great Ape, and the simian gazed back down at her. In a deep, rough voice, it spoke. "I didn't expect to see you here, Mother."

"Whoa!" gasped Goku. "You can talk?! Since when could you do that?"

"Silence, you bag of flesh," the Great Ape commanded Goku. "I was not addressing you. You have no business being here."

Goku scoffed and retorted, "Well, that hardly seems fair, seeing as how you're the one in my head."

The ape's fist flew into the steel bars of the cage and rattled them. "Fool! You think this body belongs to you? You're nothing but an outsider, a shell of what you used to be!"

"That's enough, you two," boomed Gine. Both Goku and the ape heeded her words and sheathed their tongues. "We aren't going to get anywhere if you two start to argue."

"Then just leave me be," the Great Ape said as it turned away. "An eternity in this prison is far more desirable than talking to that charlatan of a Saiyan who stands beside you."

Gine gave the ape a curious look as she stated, "That's rather odd, considering how Kakarot tells me you seem to really want out of this prison."

The ape turned to the Saiyan woman with a scowl. "How _dare_ you use my name on that imposter? In his own words, he is Goku, a Saiyan who was raised on Planet Earth. _I _am Kakarot, the Saiyan born on Planet Vegeta. The Saiyan that he so callously left behind."

"Hold on a second," Goku requested. "So you're saying that you're the Saiyan side of me before I hit my head?"

"Seems even a fool can comprehend things once they've been shaved down to their level," the Great Ape, Kakarot, commented.

"You callin' me stupid?" Goku asked in a rather brash tone.

"Looks like the fall made you a little slow as well," Kakarot fired back.

"Be quiet, both of you!" Gine boomed in a voice so loud that it sent shivers down both Goku and Kakarot's spines. "It amazes me how immature the two of you are, even though you're both grown up."

Both of them hung their heads in shame, but neither refused to stow their animosity towards one another. Gine could still feel the tension between the two, and let out a frustrated sigh. "Listen, you two need to start communicating if you're ever going to get along. If you don't, then Goku, you're not gonna find out what lies beyond the Great Ape form, and Kakarot, you're never going to be set free."

Kakarot scoffed and turned his nose up at the man. "As I said earlier, an eternity in here is better than having anything to do with _him._"

"You don't mean that at all," Gine quipped. "If you did, you would have surrendered by now and just let Goku take control of the form. But you're fighting back because you want to resolve the issues you have with him and be free."

"My only issue is that _Goku_ has no rights or claims to this body or identity," Kakarot stated. "Ever since he hit his head and lost his memory and Saiyan mentality, his mind has wandered and never once thought to come back. He's created this new identity for himself as a Saiyan who was raised on this backwater planet, and has forgone any and everything about his race and history. Those memories were the only connection I had. Without them, I was nothing."

"I resent that," Goku commented. "I fought for the pride of the Saiyan race against Frieza on Namek years ago. And I'm just as much a Saiyan as I was before."

Kakarot scoffed. "Please, you weren't fighting for anything but yourself. You play this game of being a righteous hero who is the hope of the universe, and the answer to all living things that cry out for peace. But that means nothing to you, because at the end of the day, all you want is a good fight. At least a true Saiyan would be honest with themselves. But you prefer to live this lie you've orchestrated for yourself."

"Liar!" Goku yelled. "How dare you!? I fought to protect my friends and the universe, against Raditz, Vegeta, Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu! And I've _never_ considered myself to be any sort of hero!"

"I can see through your lies, _Goku._" Kakarot bore his sharp fangs as he gazed down at the human version of himself. "You tell yourself that you fight for your friends and family, but what were you thinking about when you let Vegeta go? You only thought about a better fight in the future. He could have easily fulfilled his original promise of coming back to slaughter all of those you claimed to care about. What would you have done if you were powerless to stop him? Or what about when you faced Frieza and allowed him to achieve his maximum power? What were you thinking of then?"

Goku turned away. Confliction began to brew in his heart, as the ape's words somewhat resonated with him. Throughout his life, he did indeed show more interest in fights during situations, rather than protecting those he loved. This was not only apparent during Kakarot's examples, but was especially apparent during the bout with Cell. After he surrendered and chose Gohan to fight, he gave Cell a Senzu Bean, and further failed to realize his son's apathy towards fighting. It may have awakened his son's hidden power, but at what cost? He'd given up against Cell, and failed his family and friends, and left everything to his son.

Kakarot could see the gears turning in Goku's head, and could feel his blood began to boil. "Are you finally realizing who and what you are?" he asked the man.

Goku turned to the Great Ape and let out a long sigh, exhaling the tension and rising emotions from within him. "You're right," he admitted. "Everything you said is true. But what I will not accept, is that you say I don't care for my friends and family. You have no right."

"You're the one that has no right to speak on that soapbox of yours," Kakarot argued. "What kind of man who supposedly cares about his family refuses to return to Earth with the pitiful excuse that it would be safer without him? You only wanted to absolve yourself of the responsibility of being a father and friend so you could further throw yourself into fighting and training, yet you say you care. You weren't even around for the birth of your second son, knowing full and well that you impregnated your wife before leaving. Not only that, you missed out on the crucial years of development for your firstborn. Even when you were around for him, you weren't really there. You were only focused on training and getting stronger. You want to know who _was_ there for Gohan and Goten?"

"Don't you dare-"

"Piccolo," Kakarot answered, cutting Goku off. "The Namek, an asexual being that was once trying to carry on his father's legacy of ruling the Earth, is a better father than you. Even before he fused with Kami and was just simply the son of the evil King Piccolo, he still cared for Gohan much more than you ever did."

"Stop it, right now," Goku demanded.

"Why? Am I upsetting you?" Kakarot cooed in a faux motherly voice. "You should be upset! You should be ashamed! You've failed your family as a father, and don't even get me started on what an awful husband you are. And you still want to stand in front of me and pretend that you're a decent person by your own moral account?! You're pathetic! You make me laugh harder than anything else ever has in this sad excuse of a life you've lived! Why, I would even say that from my viewpoint, _you're the one that's the monster_."

"SHUT UP!" Goku cried, pulling back to strike the beast with his fist.

"Come on! COME AT ME!" Kakarot urged him. "Unleash that true Saiyan rage you've kept quelled for so long! Accept who you really are! A Saiyan!"

Goku was ready to strike, but found himself unable to move. His arm merely trembled, and tears began to stream down his cheeks. He collapsed to the ground, and further down to his knees. "I… I can't…" he mumbled through quiet sobs. "I'm… not…"

Kakarot spat in the man's direction and turned his back to the bars. "Pathetic. This is why you should have used the Dragon Balls to recover your memory after learning about your race from Raditz. You could have freed yourself from these worthless attachments long ago, and could have achieved greatness. You could have been the one to face Lord Beerus, but instead, Vegeta of all people was a more worthy candidate. The prince, a murderer who's slain millions of innocent lives, and even went as far as to strike his own son, was a better choice than you. Those emotions you have, or rather, the ones you've learned after hitting your head, are shackles on you. They hold you back. Had I been out there in your shoes, the shoes that are rightfully mine, you would have never met Chi-Chi, never had family or friends, and would be spared from all of this anguish you feel now."

"The only thing holding me back is you. I refuse to believe that my family and my friends are what's the issue."

"You have the stubbornness of our father" Kakarot laughed.

"You seem to have quite a low opinion of attachments," Goku observed. "You remind me of Vegeta."

"As I should! A once, and still, shining example of a true Saiyan warrior." Kakarot roared. "Strength is the _only_ thing that matters in this world."

"Because you haven't given anything or anyone else a chance!" Goku exclaimed.

"How am I supposed to be able to give anything a chance when you routinely deny my existence- _your_ existence? You need to face the facts, _Goku._ Whether you like or not, you're a Saiyan!"

Goku looked away, unable to face the truth that the Great Ape had laid out in front of him. He so desperately wanted to answer back that he was a Saiyan, born and raised on Earth- his usual response to such a remark. But this was different. He looked back at his mother, who had backed away to let the two hash out their differences. His full-blooded Saiyan mother, who was so calm and gentle that she wouldn't even hurt a fly.

"... So what if I'm a Saiyan? That doesn't mean I have to be anything like you or how you want me to be," Goku commented.

"Then you're a fraud and a failure!" Kakarot barked. "Fool, don't you know what you could be? How powerful I could have made you if you reclaimed me?!"

Goku stepped up to the jail cell and grabbed one of the iron bars. He watched the other side of himself rage so furiously behind the cage that it began to pain him. It was through that pain that Goku was able to see what needed to be done. "I get it, you know? You're so angry because you were pushed aside, never given the chance to truly be. This whole time, I've been defining myself as Goku, a Saiyan raised on Earth. But… things aren't that cut and dry, are they?"

"... They aren't," Kakarot hesitantly answered.

Goku released a wave of ki from his hands that shattered the bars to the cell. Kakarot wasted no time in grabbing the man and clenching him in his fist. His blood red eyes glared at him, and a malicious smile painted itself across his face. "Fool, do you intend to free me? I will unleash my wrath on this world with your body, and become what I was truly meant to be!"

"That's not it at all. I'm not freeing you; I'm accepting you. Because we're more than what we define ourselves as, not just a Saiyan raised on Earth, and not just a Saiyan born on Planet Vegeta," Goku explained. "I never asked to lose my memory. But I did, and I'm sorry I kept pushing my Saiyan side away. The only examples I had of Saiyans were what I learned from Raditz, Nappa, Vegeta, and Frieza. But after seeing Vegeta changed, and meeting my mother, I understand now that Saiyans weren't all ruthless warriors. Some of them are like me."

"You think an apology is supposed to make up for all of those years that I've spent wasting away in here?! Being forgotten about and forced to live as your shadow?! Fool, you have no idea what I have endured while you've been out living the life I was supposed to live!"

"But this is why you can stand by my side now. Together," Goku offered.

Kakarot simply laughed. "You think things are that easy? You can't just say you accept this part of yourself and move on so quickly."

"But that's not fair. I'm giving you a chance to decide for yourself who you want to be, and to reclaim who you truly are!"

"But… _Goku_, I did decide who I am. Don't you see?"

"And all you are is the Saiyan that was born on Planet Vegeta?"

"I am what I am, and you are what you are. This was never about me. I've never wanted to be anything different. You're the one that needs to accept themselves. All I've ever wanted is for you to accept who I am."

"How do I do that?"

Kakarot smiled at his human counterpart. His fur began to take on a golden glow, the same aura that bled from Goku when he turned Super Saiyan. The grip that once held the man hostage was slowly loosened, and Kakarot was enveloped in a strange, transforming light. "Allow me to show you what you're truly capable of."

Goku could feel a wild surge of energy begin to flow through him. His body was enveloped in the same glow that had now fully engulfed Kakarot. He could feel himself begin to change in a way unlike anything he felt before. The last thing he saw was that gold light as it consumed both him and the Great Ape.

Goku awoke in the real world, but he felt different. He had a new body, one with much bulkier muscles and a more powerful frame. His orange gi was gone, and his torso, arms, and legs were covered in a scarlet fur. Piercing yellow eyes stared back at his mother who had also returned to the real world. The power that flowed through this new body was unlike anything he experienced before. Burning inside of him was a primal urge to fight, muscles trembling with the anticipation to explore the depths of this new power he achieved.

"Kakarot? Is that you?" his mother asked.

Goku examined himself and could scarcely believe just how much he'd changed. "It is, but this body is completely different. It possesses an incredible power that I never thought could be possible to achieve..."

"This is incredible; I've never seen anything like this!" Gine exclaimed. "What do we call this form?"

"I'm… not sure. It's so unlike any of the other Super Saiyan forms. For now, why don't we just call this Super Saiyan 4?"

"Well, I'm so glad you've managed to achieve this new height of power!" a voice exploded from the doorway. Both Goku and Gine turned back to see Fortuneteller Baba floating on her mystical orb. Her face was sunken, as it usually was, but he could tell she seemed rather cross with him. "You've really done it this time, Goku! Who do you think you are, cheating the rules of Other World like this? You know better than to pull a stunt like this!"

"I- I'm sorry, Baba. I just-"

"No, no excuses. I'm taking her back with me. She's long overstayed her welcome in this world!" the Fortuneteller declared.

Gine turned to her son and let out a soft sigh. "I figured what you did probably wasn't allowed. But hey, I'm glad I got to finally meet you and spend some time with you."

"W- Wait, Mom, please don't go yet!" Goku begged. "I haven't even introduced you to my family and friends yet! Oh, god. I've been so selfish. I hogged you all to myself without even letting you see my life. I was so focused on getting stronger that I just-"

Gine covered her son's mouth, and kissed him on his head. "Shush now, Goku. I wouldn't have traded this experience for anything. Maybe once this all blows over, you can sneak me back down here again to meet everyone. Now, be strong. It's time for me to go."

As heavy as his heart was, Goku obeyed his mother, and mustered the strength to let her go after giving her one last hug. Gine walked to Baba's side, and looked at the woman. "Good lord, you're quite the hag, aren't you?"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" screamed the small witch as they disappeared from the realm of the living. Goku laughed, as he could see his mother had attempted to make him smile one last time before leaving. Left behind on the floor were his mother's pink wristbands that he clutched in his hands.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I promise, I'll make this up to you."

**. . .**

"We have incoming. Two Attack Balls inbound," radioed a soldier from the loading dock to their commanding officer. "Looks like Tarble and Gure are finally back."

Neiz opened his end of communications on his scouter. The first thing he uttered through the channel was an annoyed groan. "Well it's about time," he grumbled.

Tarble's pod proceeded into the loading dock and touched down, as did his comrade's. They both stepped out into the ship, Tarble cracking his neck. He could sense Neiz approaching and prepared his ears for the reptilian's shrill voice.

"You've got a lot of nerve, Tarble! Lord Cooler will certainly have your head-"

"Be quiet, you amphibious freak," the young Saiyan barked at him. "Gure, the briefcase."

The small Tech-Tech alien reached back into her pod and handed him quite the large briefcase.

Neiz eyed the case intently. "Whatcha got there, Tarble?"

"None of your business," he told him. Without another word, he left the loading dock and made his way through the ship. Gure retired to her quarters, and Neiz followed behind him, much to his chagrin. But as long as he kept his mouth shut, Tarble didn't mind too much.

Except Neiz always had something to say- especially about him and Saiyans.

"So how was that extended mission to Earth? You'd better have found out some real juicy information, or else Lord Cooler will surely revoke your vacation days. That's _if_ he's merciful."

Tarble said nothing and continued to walk with a hastened pace.

"I heard you and Gure pretended you were married," he said with a sly chuckle.

The Saiyan still remained silent.

"Come on, Tarble. You've been with us ever since you were a baby and you _still_ don't trust me?"

"Oh, it isn't that. I just despise you with every fiber of my being," Tarble clarified harshly. He stopped as they arrived to a rather large corridor.

"Well, have fun," Neiz sniggered as he took off.

Tarble's fist rapped on the door.

"You may enter," called a voice from deep within the room.

Tarble slid the door open and entered the chamber. It was a rather large, spacious room, decorated with memorabilia stolen from planets that they had conquered over the years, from treasures such as gems and ancient artifacts, to pelts and stuffed heads of vicious opponents that had been slain. In the front of the room was an empty throne made of some of the finest material that the universe had to offer. Tarble was surprised to see that it was empty, as he would often find his leader lounging in it. Behind it was a large window that provided the best view of space that the ship had to offer, fit for someone of his commander's ranking and stature. There was the leader of the entire force, gazing out of it. His muscular, yet streamlined and smooth purple body, and white armor plating never failed to remind him of Frieza, though he had only seen him once before being sent to a distant planet by his father.

"Lord Cooler, I have returned."

Cooler turned around, wine glass in hand to see the young Saiyan kneeling graciously before him. He smiled, as Tarble was one of the few soldiers he employed that had great form when pledging allegiance. "Ah, Tarble. Welcome back. It's been quite some time, hasn't it? I trust you found something worth staying on Earth for?"

"I did," Tarble stated, concealing a soft smirk. Neiz hadn't known that he actually cleared the overtime with Cooler, and he couldn't help but revel in that. "If I may, Lord Cooler, I would like to present you with the evidence I have gathered."

"You may," Cooler obliged.

At once, Tarble opened the briefcase and presented an array of scouters to the Frost Demon. But these were no ordinary scouters like the one that broke when Goku demonstrated his Super Saiyan transformation. These were scouters he fashioned himself while on Earth. They were unable to read power levels, but they were able to record video and audio of up to four hundred feet away in exchange.

Tarble began to relay a summarized version of the information he acquired during his mission. "Lord Cooler, upon arriving to Earth, I was almost immediately able to ascertain that the legend of Frieza and King Cold being killed by a Super Saiyan was true. It was indeed the one they call, "Son Goku" that cut your brother down, but upon further investigation, I discovered that Frieza was not destroyed on Namek, but on Earth. The exact circumstances of his death on Earth seem to be quite unclear, though."

"Is that so?" Cooler asked, unsurprised. "What a fool. How could he be so short-sighted to not realize that he needed to grow stronger before facing Goku again? At any rate, it would seem that they bought into your ruse quite well, or so Abo and Cado reported once they returned."

"They did," Tarble confirmed with a nod. "It was quite easy to fool them. They believed that Gure was my wife of all things, and even stupidly spared Abo and Cado. It was the perfect plan, and they were the perfect idiots."

Cooler chuckled lightly. "That's rich. They don't have the backbone to kill threats to their planet. It works in our favor, it would have been an annoying detriment to lose those two. Anyway, you may continue."

"Furthermore, I decided it would be wise to stay longer and gather intel on our enemies. I have been able to confirm that Majin Buu is indeed living with them on Earth. It's… almost as if they've managed to befriend the creature. Not only that, but Goku, Vegeta, and a few of the other Z Fighters have managed to grow marginally stronger than him. Especially Vegeta, who has reached a level called 'Super Saiyan God' in order to face Lord Beerus, the God of Destruction."

Cooler clutched his wine glass with interest. "So it seems there was some truth to what my father told me. So, they were paid a visit by the God of Destruction, it seems? And Vegeta obtained a power that put him on par with Lord Beerus, you say?"

"Not exactly 'on par'," Tarble clarified. "It more or less allowed him to at least fight Beerus without being killed immediately."

"That's _Lord_ Beerus," Cooler corrected him. "You must always refer to him with that title, as you refer to me. Are we clear?"

"Y- Yes, My Lord," Tarble shook. "Unfortunately, before I could find out more about the form and its power, Vegeta left with Lord Beerus's attendant, Whis, shortly after the battle. For what reason remains unclear, but he hasn't been back in quite some time. Not even to visit."

"A power that allowed him to face the God of Destruction and survive…" Cooler said to himself as he drank the last bit of wine in his glass. "It would seem that Vegeta most likely left with Whis to train, which means that this Whis character is a teacher. If that's the case, then he must have taught Lord Beerus, which would make him the strongest in the universe… Tell me, Tarble, this Super Saiyan God form, is it something _you_ can achieve?"

"No," he stated with a bit of irritation. "From what I have seen, this isn't a power that can be obtained through training. It must be done through a ritual involving five pure-hearted Saiyans giving their energy to one other pure-hearted Saiyan."

Cooler looked down to see the young soldier's fist clenched. "Worry not, Tarble. We have no need for such _rituals_ to gift us with greater power. You will surpass that failure of a prince. I will see to it personally that you have your revenge. Though, I'm also curious as to the power of this 'Super Saiyan God.' We will take him down together."

The frustration left Tarble's body as he envisioned the many ways he could kill his older brother, and he managed a small smile. "Thank you, Lord Cooler."

Cooler walked back over to the window to gaze upon the expansive, deep space that he owned. "So tell me, Tarble… these Dragon Balls I heard about from the remnants of Frieza's army, do they truly exist?"

"They do, My Lord," Tarble assured. "The rumors are true about the Namekian Dragon Balls requiring a password, but it seems that for the Earth's Dragon Balls to be used, you only need to call for the eternal dragon, "Shenron" to arise."

"What fools. To have such a powerful collection of items be allowed free use by anyone… Do you still desire your wish, Tarble?"

"I do, sire. More than anything," Tarble announced with conviction.

Cooler continued to gaze out at the stars as he decreed, "Then we shall train, at once. The entire army will train. With the vast array of information and knowledge you've acquired, we will take the Earth and crush them. Then, you will have your wish, and soon, there will be no one left in the universe to stop us."

"I swear to you that I will ensure our invasion of Earth goes smoothly, My Lord."

The Frost Demon looked back over his shoulder with a small chuckle. "Please, it's just us in here. No need to be so formal."

"R- Right. Thank you, Father. But… if I may ask, do you desire a wish from Earth's Dragon Balls? They have the capacity to grant three wishes. Why not wish for immortality? Your reign over the universe could continue forever."

Cooler laughed heartily at the young man's suggestion. "You have so much to learn, my Son. I'm not as short-sighted as my brother. I do not desire an undying body. Nothing is forever, and it should be kept like that. For a fate in which one can't die is a fate worse than a life that met its end too soon. You can use the other two wishes however you like, Tarble. What I desire is something far more powerful than any wish granting orbs."

"What is you desire, Father?"

"Knowledge, my dear boy."

* * *

**AN:** (9/24) OC submissions for both the Galactic Patrol and Cooler's Armored Squadron have been closed. Thank you for your submissions!


	5. The Battle That Never Happened

**The Battle That Never Happened**

Lord Beerus looked down at the Saiyan prince who lay in a crater. Though his power just a moment ago was much greater than before, he still fell in just a couple of semi-serious blows. His knuckles were still stiff, yearning for the ache from the connection of a good punch. Nothing here on this planet called Earth provided him what he was looking for.

"No Super Saiyan God, and I never even got to eat my pudding," the Destroyer fumed above the cacophony of defeated mortals. "This day has been a complete disappointment. It's time I take my leave, but not before I destroy the Earth," he announced.

"Dammit!" cried Vegeta as he struggled to stand. His legs buckled and he fell back on the ground, battle suit covered in combat dust. Pain coursed through his entire body like lightning strikes, and he could feel his vision fading out. He suddenly felt the warm hands of his son and wife, jumping a bit as he expected to hit the ground. "B- Bulma… Trunks… I'm so sorry…"

The sky began to turn an incredibly dark and malevolent violet as a wicked aura from Lord Beerus eclipsed over the world. His destructive energy flared to life within him, and the atmosphere became bogged down with a pressure so heavy that it caused the Earth to shake beneath its might.

In his last moments, Vegeta could see Lord Beerus raising a palm. He knew this would be the end.

"Before creation, comes destruction," the Destroyer declared as he began to focus his destructive energy. "Ha-"

"Hey, hold on a sec!" cried a familiar voice.

Lord Beerus ceased his destructive energy as he looked up to see the Saiyan from before. Seemingly out of nowhere, he had appeared in front of Vegeta and his family. But this Saiyan appeared to be quite different from before. His hair was spiked up in the first Super Saiyan transformation he faced earlier on the North Kai's Planet, but it possessed a far different appearance and feeling to its power. Instead of the golden blond color he and the other Saiyans displayed previously, it was a rich amber. Not only that, but he seemed to have grown a tail. Though usually brown, it matched his hair color due to his assumed transformation. Even his clothes were different. Instead of the blue undershirt and orange gi he wore before, he now sported a rather stylish turquoise gi with a white-knot style obi, pink wristbands that almost stretched up to his elbows, brilliant dark green pants, and black kung-fu shoes with pink stockings to compliment his wristbands. "Well then, you've arrived just in time it seems," the Destroyer addressed Goku. "Have you discovered anything about the Super Saiyan God?"

Upon his arrival, he was rushed by both Chi-Chi and Goten who embraced him like they were never going to see him again. To be fair though, their very existence was threatened by the God of Destruction himself.

"Way to milk the clock," Bulma aggressively whispered.

Goku shushed her as he turned to respond to the deity. With relaxed, green eyes and his trademark whimsical smile, he called back, "Oh, yeah! I've discovered a lot about how to become a Super Saiyan God. First, you need five Saiyans pure of heart. Then, those five Saiyans have to give their energy to one Saiyan also pure of heart. It's pretty simple, really."

Lord Beerus floated there, glaring down at the Saiyan with a hint of skepticism in his lowered brow. He seemed just a bit too carefree about all of this. There was no way he had become a Super Saiyan God, as there wasn't a trace of godly ki within him. Even if he were hiding it, his feline nose had an acute sense of smell for divine energy. And food. "What seems to be the problem then? Gather your Saiyans and produce the Super Saiyan God."

Before Goku responded, he closed his eyes for a brief moment and connected to Videl's mind telepathically. This was a trick he hadn't used since he convinced Krillin to spare Vegeta, but he still knew how to. _"Hey, Videl." _

The young daughter of Mr. Satan jumped. She looked over and saw Goku standing out in the field against Lord Beerus, which was a bit away. But she could have sworn she just heard him clear as day, as if he were standing right next to her. She turned to her husband, who still had his eyes trained on his father. "G-"

_"Don't say anything. Listen, it's me, Goku. I'm using telepathy to speak to you. You heard me when I talked about how we need five Saiyans to give their energy to one, right?"_

"Y- Yeah, I heard. I was thinking I could help," Videl said as more of a question than a statement. Her voice was shaky, the situation prior to his arrival still making her shake. "But how did you know? I haven't even told anyone yet."

Gohan looked back, hearing his wife and seeing her concerned face. "Hey, Videl? Are you okay?"

Piccolo looked back at Gohan and saw a rather confused Videl, who was looking out at Goku. The former guardian looked out at the Super Saiyan, and saw that he was shooting a glare back at the young woman for some odd reason. His antennae twitched a bit as he caught the faint sounds of a conversation on the wind.

_"Just trust me. Lord Beerus is mine to handle. You don't need to get involved. Stay with Gohan. He'll protect you."_

Videl felt a sudden disconnect and she snapped back to see her husband rushing over to her.

"Videl! Are you okay?!" he cried.

Videl placed her shaky hands into his arms and released the tension in her body with a deep sigh. They were warm, which was just what she needed to feel safe. "I'm fine now," she replied with a smile. "Your dad's got this covered."

Gohan looked back at him with a hint of concern. "He does seem quite different from before. I wonder how come he's already transformed. Maybe he's preparing ahead of time for the battle?" He then began to think to himself how effortlessly he held the transformation, seeming to be at complete rest in the transformation, despite the stressful situation at hand. _That reminds me of when we trained in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber before we fought Cell… Did he obtain a mastery over the form again?_

Goku smirked up at the Destroyer as he announced, "We don't have enough Saiyans to make a Super Saiyan God! There's me, Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, and Trunks, which makes five Saiyans. We're still down one, and there aren't anymore surviving Saiyans!" Just as he called that out, he remembered Vegeta's younger brother. He looked back at the prince and prepared to connect with him telepathically, but the poor man was already out cold. _Oh, right. I forgot he was sort of in and out of it after Lord Beerus messed him up. Man… that guy's powerful. But don't worry, guys. This may not be real, but I'm gonna beat him this time!_

The Destroyer's eyes narrowed with anger as flicks of purple energy began to manifest around him. "So, you're telling me that there's no one else you can contact? Not a long lost brother or an estranged mother? Perhaps a distant cousin twice removed, or an outcast that disobeyed orders to return to Planet Vegeta?"

In his angry, desperate pressing on the matter, Goku took notice of something he thought was interesting. He chose to save it for later, seeing now as not the time to address such a concern. "Sorry, Lord Beerus, but there's not gonna be any Super Saiyan God today. But don't worry, I've got something much better than that!"

"... Oh?" inquired the Destroyer. He sheathed his destructive energy and allowed the sky to return to its normal state. Whatever the Super Saiyan had in mind, this was going to be something he wanted to see. The second he looked into the man's green eyes, steeled with confidence, he could tell that he had something else up his sleeve. He usually wouldn't show such interest so quickly in a mortal, but something about Goku this time around was very different. "Tell me, Saiyan. What is it you've discovered?"

"I will," Goku agreed. "But first, I have something for you."

Lord Beerus gazed at the mortal as he nonchalantly approached him. He almost considered destroying such a carefree being, but he knew whatever he had, it wouldn't have possibly been a threat to him. Besides, outright destroying him wouldn't be any fun. That, and he could already smell what the Super Saiyan had. His mouth couldn't resist but water at the smell of the delicious savoury dessert that was presented to him, complete with a silver spoon.

Goku held out the pudding cup and spoon, practically waving it in the Destroyer's face. But he seemed to be entranced by the sheer appearance of it again. He could see in Lord Beerus's eyes that he had already previously resigned himself to never being able to taste the dessert again. Now with it having appeared so suddenly, he had no idea what to do with it. "Maybe I should save this for after we fight…"

Lord Beerus suddenly snapped back to reality as Goku handed the pudding off to Trunks. "Erm… yes, perhaps that would be for the best." He could feel a pair of eyes piercing white hot holes of fury in the back of his neck. There was no doubt his teacher, Whis, was giving him the most snootiest, meanest mug that the Angel's usually polite face could pull off. _Geez, I can hear him now- "My Lord, you were rendered completely defenseless by a cup of pudding. That's quite hazardous for someone of your stature, don't you think?"_

Whis sat in his beach chair, lounging back as he sipped on an alcoholic drink. He was indeed glaring at Lord Beerus, but only because his instincts called his attention over to Goku. _Perhaps this new power Goku has achieved will be the perfect training for you,_ he thought with an interested smirk.

"Let's take this somewhere else," Goku propositioned as he took off towards the wilderness. Lord Beerus, Whis, and a few of the Z Fighters followed closely behind and remained at a distance as the two reached the wastelands.

Goku touched down on the dirt, and eyed Lord Beerus carefully as the deity descended a few feet from him. He took a moment to focus himself before the god addressed him.

"- Tell me, why is it you look different? You haven't acquired Super Saiyan God, yet you're already transformed into that first stage before we even begin fighting."

"I've chosen to remain in this form. From now on, my Super Saiyan form is my new base form," Goku announced. "I've trained extensively to master this form, and eventually lost the strain in it. I can even hold it when I sleep! And the way I see it is that if I can hold this state just as well as my base state, what's the need for my base state then? Now, at this elevated level of power, I can be ready for a fight at any moment. And… as long as I remain in this heightened state-" He stopped and suddenly, the ground beneath them began to shake. Stones rose underneath the Super Saiyan's rising power as he quickly exploded into his Super Saiyan 2 transformation. Bio-electricity danced around him as his hair stood aggressively on end. "- I can easily transform to my other mastered transformations as well."

Lord Beerus eyed the Super Saiyan. His energy had swelled over multiple times, and it reached heights that Goku were nowhere near before. "Alright, Saiyan. Or, should I say, Super Saiyan. You have my interest. Though you don't have the ki of a god, your power is still quite remarkable."

"If you think it feels great from over there, just wait until you feel it up close," Goku chuckled. In an instant, he rushed the god. His very form disappeared from the sight of those that had gathered to watch the fight. Even Lord Beerus was taken aback at the Super Saiyan's newly-acquired speed, and power as he blocked a strike from the man's elbow. His hand, which caught the blow, shook as the force rippled up the Destroyer's arm. He saw the Saiyan smirked at his power, and attempted to backhand him away. But Goku was already behind him, and much to his chagrin, he flicked the Destroyer on the back of his head. Feeling the mortal's fingers smack against his head, his tail flew up and nearly stabbed the man. Goku grabbed Lord Beerus by his tail and hauled the god over his shoulder. He whipped his arms around and slammed the Destroyer into the ground, face first.

"Whoa!" cried Krillin from afar as he watched with Gohan, Piccolo, and Vegeta who had just swallowed his pride with a Senzu Bean. "Goku's completely different from before! Look at him manhandle that guy! None of us could even put a scratch on him!"

"it's almost unbelievable how strong he's become in such a short time," Piccolo noted with heavy curiosity. "I know he said he trained in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, but could just a year have made him this much stronger?"

"It isn't just that," answered an annoyed Vegeta as he watched his rival already last longer than he did. "His energy feels completely different. Whatever's happened, he wasn't lying when he said he discovered something."

Lord Beerus stood up and brushed himself and his clothes off, seemingly as if nothing had happened. "Not too bad, Saiyan. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've learned how to sense god ki."

"You might be able to say that," Goku said with a smirk. "Let's just say this isn't our first time fighting."

"Well… it isn't," Lord Beerus stated rather firmly. "It's our second. What the hell are you going on about? Has whatever training you've done in that chamber of yours dulled your sense of time?"

"On the contrary," Goku answered. "It's made me realize so much about time, how much has been lost, what's yet to come- I'm particularly excited for what's to come."

Lord Beerus eyed the Super Saiyan carefully. "Are you referring to some future event, or our fight?"

"Both!" Goku roared as he charged back in for a second round with the Destroyer. His fist crashed against his elbows that blocked the blow, and they continued to crash against him like individual freight trains. The deity could easily see through the Super Saiyan's predictable movements. His hand reached out and took Goku by the wrist. Pulling him in, his elbow slammed deep into the man's stomach.

_"Gack!"_ Goku cried as all the wind escaped his body in a heavy wheeze. But he expected nothing less from the Destroyer and rocketed a windmill kick that sent him sliding back across the desolate land.

Goku kept after him, rushing through the dust that was kicked up from Lord Beerus being pushed back from his previous attack. But as he dashed through the cloud of combat dust, his target was gone. His mind began to race, trying to sense where the Destroyer was.

In an instant, Lord Beerus appeared from above and brought his fists down like a sledgehammer. He slammed down on the Super Saiyan's head and blew the area apart from his force. His arms were clad in a ferocious purple aura that sent chills down Goku's spine. _Looks like his energy's increased a little bit,_ Goku observed as he struggled to keep the god at bay. He managed to block the hit just in the nick of time, but the Destroyer's strength began to concern him.

Lord Beerus continued to press against the Super Saiyan's defenses, awakening more of his sleeping strength to deal with the mortal. "So you've managed to power up a little bit," the god mentioned. "What kind of place is this Hyperbolic Time Chamber?"

Goku found it hard to speak as he was more concerned with keeping him from breaking through his guard. "It allows you to get an entire year's worth of training in just one day. Pretty helpful for emergencies."

"Oh, I'm much more than an emergency," the Destroyer warned the Super Saiyan with an amused chuckle.

"You're as big of an emergency as they come!" Goku barked back as he continued to push back. As Lord Beerus's strength rose, so did his. His amber aura continued to flare with the energy he continued to call forth. _D- Damn! I didn't think I'd be at my limit so soon! Guess this is as good a time as any to use it- _

Lord Beerus could feel the Super Saiyan's arms buckling under his godly might. His senses suddenly alerted him to a change within the Super Saiyan. Goku shot a composed glare at Lord Beerus that caused him to brace himself.

"Super Kaioken!" Goku suddenly screamed. The limits of his Super Saiyan 2 form were broken with a blazing dark red aura.

"_Super Kaio-what?_" questioned a confused Lord Beerus. "What a preposterous name! That's such a mouthful. Anyone would have time to react before you even finished yelling i-"

Goku muscled the deity's fists away with one arm and crashed a Super God Fist into Lord Beerus's face with the other. The god's face contorted rather cartoonically as the full force of his augmented punch rocked his entire body. His eyes were still white with shock as Goku pulled his arms back and fired a Super Kamehameha at point blank range.

The brilliant blue blast engulfed Lord Beerus and the immediate area. Whirlwinds from the blast whipped at the Z Fighters and out back at Capsule Corp. Goku backed out of the smoke and rose into the sky. He calmed himself as he began to search for Lord Beerus's ki. His energy was still very much there, as expected, but he felt confident that the blow he dealt had to have been successful. At times five, the level he just used, it should have been more than enough to press the deity at least a little bit.

But as the smoke cleared, Goku found himself clenching his fists in both frustration and excitement as Lord Beerus emerged unscathed. "That wasn't a bad attack at all, Super Saiyan. But you're gonna have to do better than that if you want to deal any damage."

"Fine then," Goku chuckled with elation. "Let's take it up a notch!" With his fists clenched, he began to charge. His ki swelled up with his powerful roars. Bolts of lightning created from his rising power scorched the ground around him as they crashed. The very world shook beneath his wrath as his power continued to skyrocket into his next form.

Krillin led Piccolo, Gohan, and Vegeta, in a retreat to a further distance as they sensed the battle was about to get more intense than ever. "Geez! And I thought he was strong before!" cried the man as he looked back at his childhood friend.

Piccolo and Gohan stared in awe of the still climbing power. Vegeta tsked in annoyance, but found himself feeling a little relaxed in the fact that it wasn't him out there this time. _Who knows what kind of hell Kakarot had to push his body through in order to achieve this mastery over the forms… As his energy grows, it feels more wild, like he's having trouble controlling it. What are you doing, Kakarot? _

With a sharp roar, Goku cast off the jagged energy of his transformation and emerged as a Super Saiyan 3. His hair was longer than ever, and the same intense eyes with a frightening calm and focused composure looked over at his opponent. Lord Beerus smirked at the Super Saiyan's attempt to be intimidating, but found himself interested in his increased power.

Goku pulled his tightened fist back, ready to throw a punch. But from quite a distance, at least a few meters away. Lord Beerus eyed him carefully, and caught the feeling of a wild flow of ki being concentrated in the man's fist. _I see,_ the god thought with a perceptive smile. An almost scarlet-colored energy began to gather around Goku's fist as he threw a punch. A concentrated beam erupted from his knuckles and barreled towards the god with impressive speed. Lord Beerus moved away and watched as the blast continued forward and pierced through a nearby mountain. It was reduced to rubble within seconds.

"Ooh…" slightly gasped Lord Beerus in excitement. As he looked back, another blast was hurtling towards him. His palm caught the blast head on and he could feel first hand the almost drilling sensation the ki possessed. A second beam came from the other side. Lord Beerus was forced to block with his other palm and became entrapped between the two blasts. He looked over to see, somehow, a second Goku firing a beam from his knuckles. His eyes immediately flew back to the other Goku and his teeth began to grit behind the incessant blasts. _He's using some kind of form multiplication. Ordinarily with mortals, their power would be split in half with two clones, thirds with three, and so on, but this one is able to make a clone of himself with just as much power as the original. Interesting that he's been able to overcome that wall._

Lord Beerus had enough of entertaining the Super Saiyan's new blasts and did away with them with a wave of kiai. He felt the disappearance of a presence, and looked over to see his adversary's clone had dissipated. "I see. You're making use of a Multi-Form technique in bursts. It must take an obscene amount of concentration and skill in order to multiply yourself without splitting your power in half. _For a mortal like yourself, at least."_

"I wouldn't look down on me if I were you," Goku boldly cautioned the Destroyer. "I spent a total of three years in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber," he began to explain, but quickly stopped himself. _Shoot. I shouldn't have said that. I need to keep quiet. Mister Popo warned me if I start explaining too much from real life events, the simulation in the Pendulum Room will break._

Lord Beerus raised an eyebrow. "Interesting…"

_Dammit, I can't let him figure it out!_ Goku urged himself. He rushed Lord Beerus and caught the back of the deity's head with a sharp blow. Lord Beerus flew back, but recovered from the hit. His vision was a bit hazy, and the clouds might have been spinning just a little bit. But he managed to get his focus back just in time to see those sharp, green eyes teleport right in front of him. He became engulfed in a bright, white hot Super Kamehameha that decimated the area around them.

But if Lord Beerus thought the onslaught was finished, he was sorely mistaken. From being battered by the blast, he could see Goku ascending above him and igniting his body with the power of the Kaioken once more. His scarlet aura was imbued with an aggressive red as his eyes locked onto Lord Beerus. Just as the blast from earlier began to let up, he felt the bombardment of another wave striking his back. There was a second Goku once more, unleashing a Burst Kamehameha. He pumped more and more energy into his attack with the full power of his Super Saiyan 3, which put Beerus on edge. With the Destroyer's attention diverted, the Goku above raised his hand and began to concentrate a sphere within his palm. It glistened with stars as it gathered, and took on what could only be described as a rainbow tint. Once it reached peak density, it shrunk down into an amalgamation of sparkles that Goku clenched in his fist.

Lord Beerus broke away from the clone's blast and rushed him. Before he had the chance to sink his fist into the clone's gut, it dissipated in the blink of an eye. The Destroyer could only now look back, as the original Goku, emblazoned with the Kaioken times three, blasted him with his new move, the Stardust Breaker. Lord Beerus was caught in the massive, concentrated explosion of a full-force cosmic blast that engulfed the entire wastelands in an eclipse of light.

It only took a moment for the smoke and rubble to clear, but Goku could feel him down there. Unharmed. Probably waiting to see the shocked expression on his face. "You're incredible, Lord Beerus."

"You're quite the warrior yourself," Lord Beerus complimented as he blew away the rubble with his kiai. "As the Destroyer of the Seventh, I acknowledge your strength thus far. But tell me, why not lead with this form? Its energy output is incredible, and far exceeds anything your previous forms were capable of. With your ki control, you can even split yourself in two without splitting your power. That's a feat that belongs primarily to the gods, you know."

Goku chuckled at what he considered to be a compliment from the Destroyer. "It makes me happy to know that a mortal like me can do something like that without having to use that ritual. While training, I realized the full potential of this form lies in its ki output and energy based attacks. Funny, I learned that from watching my seven-year-old son when he and Trunks fought Majin Buu as Gotenks."

"Spare me the details about your life and answer the rest of my questions," Lord Beerus ordered with an impatient growl.

"R- Right," Goku nodded. "Anyway, I can lead with this form, but it takes incredible concentration to utilize its full power. My Full Power Super Saiyan 2 is a much more stable form for me to fight in. If I ever need a quick boost, I can use the Super Kaioken. I can also use it in Super Saiyan 3, now that I've completely eliminated the strain from the form. But I can't go higher than three."

"So… A Super Saiyan 3 Kaioken times 3?" Lord Beerus remarked. "Sounds like a mouthful, don't you think?"

"You've got a point," Goku acknowledged. "For now, I'll just call Super Saiyan 3's Kaioken, 'Meteor Mode.'"

Lord Beerus chuckled as his tail swayed back and forth in anticipation. "Glad we've got that settled. Now, show me what you alluded to back in the beginning of our fight. This new power of yours is considerably better and a lot more fun to play around with, but we both know this isn't enough to satisfy me."

Goku's eyes widened. It was only reasonable that this wouldn't have been enough, but to have been cut off so early before he could display more of the capabilities of his forms was a shock. "Figures you're ready for more," he teased with a smile as he powered back down to his new base form.

Lord Beerus narrowed his eyes at the Super Saiyan in curiosity. "Interesting. You chose to power down."

"That's because it's easy to access my ultimate form in this state," Goku informed him. "Things are about to get ugly, Lord Beerus."

The Destroyer laughed at the mortal's boastful threat. "Ordinarily I'd tell you to watch your tongue around a god, but you're too much! Unless you're hiding some monster in there, you'll never-"

"Its something like that." In the midst of the god's laughter, Goku had rushed him with unprecedented speed that he'd never shown before. Blood red eyes glared at him like prey as his fist flew. Lord Beerus moved aside, but could feel just narrowly feel the breeze of his adversary as he flew by. The god looked back at Goku to see his hair grow more wild and out of control, like a wild animal. _Well now, that's interesting. That punch… it's definitely stronger than what he's shown in Super Saiyan 2. But he seems different._

Vegeta felt his body twitch at the sudden change he sensed in his rival's energy. It felt somewhat familiar, almost as if it were a wild, but tamed flow of energy. "That can't be…" he said, on the cusp of figuring something out.

Gohan felt something react within himself as well. "His energy… his eyes... it's like he's a beast or something."

Goku glared back at Lord Beerus with his red eyes and smirked rather confidently. "Almost got you."

"Don't get cocky," the Destroyer warned him. He closed in on the Super Saiyan and attempted to teach him a lesson with a chop to the back of the neck. But his arm was captured by Goku's tail, and an elbow plummeted deep into the Destroyer's stomach. Lord Beerus reeled his tail back to strike at Goku, but another elbow to his stomach stopped him. The Super Saiyan continued to unleash blow after blow into the Destroyer until he whipped the god into the ground with his tail.

As Lord Beerus felt the furry grip of the man's tail release from his leg, he rolled over to see a much more muscular Goku charging down at him. His fists began to batter their way through the deity's defenses. Lord Beerus was forced to put a bit of effort in his guard as Goku's fists hit like hammers. Each strike grew more precise and aimed at a weak point to force through. But with each blow the Super Saiyan attempted to deal, Lord Beerus reacted with precision. His attacks were repelled with ease, despite his rising intensity. Though this did have the god putting in a little more effort than before.

Lord Beerus raised his arm to prepare a powerful strike. _His movements and style may have changed, but that doesn't mean he can get the best of me. I still see right through him. Shame. This strike might actually put an end to him if it hits. If it does, he was never worth my time to begin with._

Goku's eyes focused on the god's arm as it not-so-obviously rose to hit him. He could see on the Destroyer's face, a sense of finality. His energy which now gathered into his arm felt the same, as it began to focus. The pressure began to dampen the air, almost forcing him to his knees. But Goku called forth more of his mysterious energy. "This isn't over yet, Lord Beerus!" the Super Saiyan declared.

Lord Beerus halted his attack, rather stunned to see that his opponent was able to react in time. He was also surprised to see the man's energy increase higher than before. _Impressive. The technique isn't perfected, but… he definitely saw through my movements._

Goku became surrounded in a dark golden orb of energy as he continued to channel more energy from deep within him. His powerful screams were backed with the roar of what sounded like a monster. They shook the world and cosmos around them as he gathered more power.

Vegeta could feel something within him that faintly recognized this now raw, almost primal feeling that Kakarot's energy had taken on. "I think I've got it. Kakarot's figured out how to channel the power of the Great Ape in his human form."

"If that's the case, then it makes sense," Gohan jumped in. "Great Ape's have red eyes, and though only my dad's pupils are red, it still has the same feeling to it. His body even increases in mass like he's about to transform."

Krillin shuddered as he looked back at the powerful transformation taking place. "But if that's what he's doing, won't he lose control?! He's never been able to keep his senses when he's transformed into a Great Ape."

"You have a point," Piccolo agreed. "And if he's assuming that transformation as a Super Saiyan, then who knows if he'll have any control over himself."

Krillin felt a rather chilling sense of dread grip his spine. "H- Hey, you're not supposed to darken the situation like that!"

"Then remember who we're talking about here," the former guardian reminded him. "Goku said he's obtained a mastery over his forms while he was in the Time Chamber. He wouldn't risk transforming into a Great Ape if he couldn't control it."

"You have a point," Gohan agreed. "We just have to trust him."

"His power may be rising," Vegeta interjected, "but he still hasn't been able to land a decisive blow. It seems like we're going to be reaching the climax of this fight soon. If he fails, there'll be nothing left that we can do."

"Not exactly," Piccolo stated. "There's still a way. Even if Goku can't win here, we still have a fail-safe." Gohan, Krillin, and Vegeta all looked at him with intrigued looks that pressured him for more. But he looked away, and blushed for some reason as he quickly glanced at Gohan. "Erm… I can't say. It isn't exactly my news to give."

Before anyone could question him on the matter, Goku's power reached an explosive new level as he emerged from the transformative golden light. Though his gi and pants covered most of it, his body, save his face, pectorals, and abdominals, became covered in a crimson fur. Jet black hair stretched back behind him, reminiscent to his Super Saiyan 3 transformation, but a bit more wild. His body had gained a considerable bulk in muscles, his gi seemed to compensate by fitting a bit more loosely to allow for more breathing. Even his pants and wristbands seemed to be a bit looser. He would have to remember to thank Bulma for the augmentations she made to the clothes Chi-Chi and Goten made for him. Had she not implanted nanobots in the fibers that would allow his clothes to adapt to his body, he surely would have blown his shirt off every time he entered this form.

"Behold," announced Goku in his new, rougher voice as he leered at Beerus with wild, yellow eyes. "This is what I call a Super Saiyan 4."

"Not bad at all," remarked the Destroyer as he continued to size the man up. "But need I remind you what I told you earlier in our battle?"

"I wouldn't sell this form so short just yet," Goku told him. "This is the ultimate Saiyan form."

"Show me why!" cried Lord Beerus as he assaulted his opponent with a furious barrage of punches to the face. Each crack of the Destroyer's knuckles against the Saiyan's face echoed throughout the desolate wilderness. He reeled his fists back, almost satisfied to have something so sturdy to punch. Vibrations of striking the Saiyan's new firm body ran up his arms. Lord Beerus continued to wail on him until he grew curious of the damage he'd done and reeled his leg back to kick him away. "So much for an ultimate form!"

Lord Beerus swung. His leg collided, the force from the attack blowing Vegeta and the others back a bit. Goku raised his head and smiled at the god who had just struck his elbow with a considerable amount of power. The Destroyer's eyes widened with shock as the primal Saiyan blew him back with a single punch. Lord Beerus slid back in the dirt, clutching his stomach as he made eyes of bloodlust at Goku. "Why you uppity little-"

"What's wrong? Didn't expect me to be so strong?" Goku questioned in a rather smug tone. "I told you not to underestimate me. I hate to break it to you, Lord Beerus, but your punches don't even hurt. In fact, they tickle. Like a tiny feather."

Lord Beerus collected himself and stood upright, breathing normally once more. "Consider that your one shot. From now on, I'll take you on effortlessly."

"Come on," urged Goku as his deep, golden aura flared to life. "Show me the power of the God of Destruction!"

Lord Beerus attacked the Saiyan, claws slashing at the primal man. Goku could feel the air by his face cleave in two as the Destroyer unleashed a rather vicious assault. His eyes could see every single movement the god made, enhanced by the synthesis of the Golden Great Ape form and his humanoid Super Saiyan form. With the primal abilities of the Golden Great Ape came elevated senses that he would normally have during his Great Ape transformation. These senses were then only multiplied upon by the increase in power this form brought him.

The Destroyer was on to the Saiyan's elevated senses and ceased his onslaught. "Tell me, Saiyan, exactly when was it that you became able to sense god ki?"

Goku chuckled at the Destroyer's question. "I was wondering when you'd catch on. But sorry, I'm afraid I can't say."

Lord Beerus glared at the primal Saiyan, but let out a small sigh. "No matter. Can't have your opponent knowing everything now. That would take all of the fun out of our game."

"I know this isn't real," Goku started, "but do you really think this all some sort of game? At this time, there are billions of lives at stake here on the Earth all because you want to fight some Super Saiyan God."

"Of course," the god contemptuously answered. "What business do I have to care about the lives of mortals? This is a game for my enjoyment- a god's enjoyment. Don't like that? Change the rules," he ended with a smug smirk.

"Who knows, maybe I will!" Goku proclaimed as his fist crashed into the Destroyer's forearm.

Beerus retaliated with a flip that would have brought his foot down on the Saiyan's head. But he in turn blocked with his forearms as well. "Then you've got a long way to go," the Destroyer goaded as he easily broke through the man's guard and wound up with a kick to the back of the head.

Goku was sent flying across the landscape and deeper into the mountains in the neighboring valley. Despite sustaining such a sharp blow to the head, the Saiyan was still conscious. He just had to regain momentum, and thankfully, there was a plateau coming up that he could easily spring himself off of.

Suddenly, his senses alerted him to an incoming ki blast. It hurtled toward him at such a speed that it would have been a little difficult to deflect or guard against the attack while rebounding off the slab of rock. Before he could decide what to do, the blast sped past him and destroyed his plan to regain his momentum. Goku now flew into a thick cloud of dust from the collapsing highlands. _Hold on, this cloud could be a good cover_, he thought to himself. Just before the momentum was about to carry him out of the film, he threw his feet back and released enough ki from them to stabilize himself.

As he came to a halt in the smoke, he quickly attempted to think of a strategy. _He's gotta have a weakness,_ he told himself. But before he could formulate any sort of plan, a cataclysmic orb came barreling inside of the thickening cloud. Goku reacted quickly and vaporized it with a blast, just in time to avoid damage. Thankfully his senses had alerted him to the incoming attack even if he wasn't entirely focused on his opponent.

More and more cataclysmic orbs began to fly towards Goku. He took advantage of the falling rubble and leapt from piece to piece in an effort to evade some of the orbs. A few narrowly caught him, and some grazed him, but he managed to evade a great number of them as he acrobatically propelled himself through the cloud. As the number of orbs flinging themselves at Goku grew, his movement became more and more limited. It seemed that Beerus had caught on to his trick of evading them and started to target the very stones that Goku used. It wasn't long before the plateau was reduced to ashes.

Goku was forced out of the smoke and dashed through the skies as a massive group of Cataclysmic Orbs chased after him. This brought back memories of his time as Vegito when Super Buu used the Super Ghost Kamikaze Attack. _Well, at least they aren't firing Kamehamehas at me,_ he thought to himself with a chuckle as he dove down into a nearby ravine. It was filled with jagged passes and jutting rocks so sharp that it would have skewered a novice flyer. But his eyes could see everything, and he was able to skillfully maneuver through the pass almost like an ape would. He used his tail to fling himself into narrow spots, and flew when necessary.

He was having a bit of fun with himself as the Cataclysmic Orbs began to collide with the rocks and narrow spaces within the ravine. The deep pass was colored in a bright tint of violet as explosions of crashing orbs continued to ring out. Goku looked back to see that only three were chasing him, much to his elation. He began to come close to a clearing, meaning he would be exposed in the opening. But dealing with three orbs was much easier than the many that were following him.

Goku rocketed out of the clearing and put some distance between him and the orbs. He looked back and began to focus his energy. The orbs were coming up, and quick. _Time to put this form's special ability to the test._ He pulled his fist back, focused his energy into his hand, and struck with an explosive gust of wind from the force of his fist. The wind annihilated the orbs and blew the ravine to smithereens.

Lord Beerus examined the devastation left in the wake of the Saiyan's attack. "My, seems you had to put a bit of effort into that one."

Goku retracted his fist and looked back up at the Destroyer who appeared above. "Just a little bit," he clarified. "You've been putting more effort into your attacks as well."

"Just a little bit," the god repeated with a smirk. "You know, those orbs shouldn't be able to be destroyed by an attack like that. How is it you managed to do it?"

"I've mastered this form too, and with that mastery brought the discovery that this form possesses a lot of brute force that can allow me to deal with energy-based attacks."

"Is that so?" Lord Beerus asked. "In that case, why don't you try a bit of this?"

Goku smirked as he prepared himself for what he anticipated to be some sort of new ki blast. But his body suddenly screamed at him to get away. Not just from the area, but from the planet. Far, far away into the next solar system. Or maybe even the next universe.

Lord Beerus had encroached upon the Saiyan, a wicked purple aura bleeding from his body once more. Before the Saiyan could react, his palm was already on the mortal's back. Goku could only look back in horror as the Destroyer's hand became shrouded in a destructive energy that began to burn through the back of his gi and singe his fur. "N- No, dammit!" Goku cried as he found himself suddenly unable to move, trapped by some sort of pressurized bind placed on him by the god.

"I'll admit, Goku, you've entertained me. A lot more than anyone else has here today. But without god ki, this form will never stand a chance against me. And I'd rather not waste anyone's time by getting my hopes up. You were a worthy foe, a rare genius in fact, but this is where you meet your end!"

Goku's environment suddenly snapped back to the dial he stood on in the Pendulum Room. Slowly, light filled the chamber to reveal the many clocks that were scattered about its walls. Mr. Popo approached him with an impressed smile. "My goodness, Goku! That was incredible! You did quite well against Lord Beerus with your new power."

"Yeah, but he got me before I could show off my full power," Goku said with a small sigh. "Oh, well! That was fun. Anything interesting happen while I was in there?"

"Well…" Mr. Popo started before nervously stopping, fearing what the Super Saiyan might say once he told him that he missed a visit from none other than the God of Destruction's attendant, and a certain hot-headed Saiyan Prince.

* * *

**AN: **Sorry this update came so late. Though, I figured updating the story four times in one month was enough for a while. Because of the loss of my original data for the story, I've decided to take this story down a new path, one that I know is experimental, but I hope that you all enjoy this different version of the story I'm producing. I feel very confident in this plot and hope that I can do this story and the fandom the justice it deserves by expanding on things left unsaid, and clearing up inconsistencies, as well as tying things together.

OC submissions for both the Galactic Patrol and Cooler's Armored Squadron are closed. I've got enough characters to fill the roles, and now I can proceed with the story. Expect OCs to begin appearing very soon!


	6. From Scholar to Warrior

**From Scholar to Warrior**

The first thing Gohan always did when he got back in his office was loosened that cursed neck tie. It was Westland University policy that he wears one, and every time he went to adjust it, his supervisor would happen to just take a stroll past the classroom. Even if he were to keep the door closed, there was still a small window on it. A security measure that protected only one thing- the university's ability to choke out their professors. Which was odd, considering if he were dead, he wouldn't be able to do what they hired him to do. He thought they would be a bit more lax, but this _was_ the most elite and prestigious university in the entire world. At least he could find sanctuary in his office. There was a window, but he could close the shades, kick back in his comfortable chair behind his mahogany desk, and take a minute to breathe.

His head pounded, echoing some of the many questions his students would ask him. He only had two classes so far, both an hour and thirty minutes long. But those desks were filled with some of the sharpest and eager young minds the world had to offer. Having to match wits and answer all of their questions, combined with having to put the more arrogant students in their place, was more arduous than fighting Frieza. At least he could have tricked Frieza to slice himself in half.

Gohan checked his watch and almost cried in relief that it was only two minutes past noon. With no more classes for the next hour and a half, this was his time to catch up on grading papers or planning lectures, or sometimes he would leave to visit his wife and daughter at home. He smiled as he reminisced her first birthday party just a week ago. They introduced her to cake as a present, and she all but devoured it. She might only be a quarter Saiyan, but she had the appetite of a full-blooded one.

His thoughts drifted back to the fight against Cell, and how they remained in the shadows as Mister Satan took credit. It was for the best, as none of the Z Fighters, aside from Yamcha perhaps, would have wanted to be so prominent in the media. But with the escalating threats towards Earth, it became harder and harder for Mister Satan to explain it to the people of Earth. With the advent of the God of Destruction just two years ago now, many people weren't exactly buying the story that Mister Satan defeated a God of Destruction. There was no solid proof, but there were rumors of a man on fire and some cat creature lurking around the Capsule Corporation at the time the world was suddenly wrought with natural disasters. Though no deaths or injuries came as a result of them creating a Super Saiyan God, many properties were damaged, some even completely destroyed. People demanded compensation from the World Martial Arts Champion, as in his story of how he fought the God of Destruction, he went into great detail about how he achieved his newest transformation: _Super Satan God._ Too much detail, it seemed, as people likened the destruction back to him as he pretty much said the intensity of his transformation was what caused the calamities that shook the Earth. It felt wrong to erase everyone's memories, as they had already done that once before.

_Maybe everyone __**should**__ know…_ he considered._ It wouldn't exactly be the worst thing in the world if the world were introduced to ki sense and manipulation._ He then had the thought his father-in-law flounder through the skies as he tried to master the art of flying. Though, he did take into consideration how difficult it was for Videl to get the hang of it. He had the inherent gift of being able to learn techniques rather quickly thanks to his Saiyan biology. His eyes would become focused on his opponent as he examined them. He explained the feeling as his brain unconsciously running through a myriad of simulations performing the move in seconds, and send the sensation from them through his muscles. They would begin to gain the memory of how to perform the move, as if he had actually physically practiced it himself.

_My perspective on fighting and training have changed so much,_ he remarked. _But the world has changed. To protect it, my family, and everyone here, I have to keep getting stronger. I'm sure there are people even stronger than Lord Beerus out there that could threaten the Earth one day. I need to be ready. _

He held up his hand and ignited it with a fiery red aura. It blazed like a wildfire, similar to Vegeta's divine energy. _Funny, I would have thought that this power would have been enough to beat Lord Beerus back when Vegeta first fought him. But now that I have it, and after experiencing his power in the Pendulum Room… just how much will be enough? When will I become the protector I was meant to become?_

_"You're closer than you think, young scholar,"_ a rather deep voice boomed in a hearty tone.

Gohan jumped. He looked around, though he knew he was alone. Yet, he could most definitely feel another presence in the room with him. The voice was completely unfamiliar to him, robust and rich. "Who's there?" he called out.

_"Ah, my apologies. I didn't mean to frighten you. Hearing an unknown voice in your head must be jarring," _the voice sympathized with a chuckle. _"May I ask you to come to my location so we could have a proper conversation?"_

"Erm…" was all the young man could muster at the moment. He couldn't sense any ill or malicious intent from the voice, and from he previously said, it seemed that they were communicating telepathically. His brain continued to lurch as he tried to make sense of the situation. But he came to no conclusion, other than this- if he wanted answers, he would have to oblige. "How do I get to your location?"

As he posed the question, he could suddenly feel a tremendous wave of godly ki ripple in the room. A portal appeared, surrounded by a ring of crimson flames. Gohan could only look on in a silent astonishment, as he could see nothing but a bright light in the portal. Fresh air passed through. Some of the scholar's papers fluttered about as a breeze blew them off the desk, which brought him back to his senses. He despised clutter and mess, but there were more important matters at hand. Could he really trust this strange portal?

_Only one way to find out._

Gohan stepped forward and into the portal. His vision was immediately overwhelmed by the bright light from within, but he kept pressing forward. It was just a short matter of time before he could feel himself emerge somewhere else. His eyes opened slowly, making sure the light was gone before taking in his sights completely. Before they fully opened and focused, he noticed the air he breathed was substantially fresher. Every breath he took made him feel more alive.

A bright, new world exploded in front of his eyes. An expansive pasture of green stretched out at the deep, blue horizon. Numerous mountain ranges that reminded him of home towered in the distance.

"Wonderful, you've made it!" Echoed a voice from behind.

Gohan turned back to meet the base of a rather large cliff. Atop it was a man that quickly jumped down to meet him. He was reminded of Piccolo's height and how he would always have to crane his neck up in order to look at him. The man sported similar height, but was even taller than Piccolo. His muscles were prominent through his ancient battle suit, and the scars on his face told the man that he had endured quite the hardship over his life. Wild, black hair reached down to the middle of his back. Despite his rather wild appearance, his eyes were soft. It was difficult to put the voice with the face, as this was certainly not what Gohan was expecting. There was no mistake, though. Without a doubt, this was the man that spoke to him.

"Perhaps I should introduce myself," the burly man said as more of a question than a statement. "My name is Kohlra. I am a Saiyan from the earliest eras of time, and one of the first Super Saiyan Gods."

"There were more Super Saiyan Gods after Yamoshi?"

Kohlra laughed. "My scholar, why ask questions you already know the answer to? Surely you must have known by now."

Gohan froze. He didn't know what to think. It was true, he did already know. To be called out in such a carefree way though- lumps formed in his throat. But he pushed through, as he knew he had to say something now. "Truthfully, I wanted to hear what you had to say. But you're right- I do know. You became a Super Saiyan God the same way I did. The ritual backfired godly onto you and everyone else involved as well."

"Precisely!" Beamed Kohlra. "We were all quite astonished when we discovered it ourselves. But it was a blessing. We were all able to make our stand, but we failed. Time and time again."

"What were you guys fighting against?"

Kohlra let out a heavy sigh. His eyes shifted from their calm gleam to a much darker glint. With a voice half as cheerful as before, he recounted a tale. "Long ago, in the eras established before what you now call 'Ages,' we Saiyans lived on a planet called Sadala. But greed, violence, and power at the hands of our tyrannical king tore our society apart. Yamoshi recruited a small faction of us to fight for freedom. We trained arduously, day in and day out. But nothing could have ever prepared us for the brutal and humiliating defeat we suffered. Not even six Super Saiyan Gods could stop the king. We were exiled from not just our planet, but the entire universe. They ripped us from each other and scattered us across the multiverses. It took us years to reunite with one another. But in those years, we trained and developed our powers our powers in different ways. Our paths began to diverge, and for some of us, our goals shifted. What once seemed to be a clear and resolute ideal was muddied with clouds of doubts, truths, lies, and secrecy. However, one of us gained the power to transcend both space and time. They saw the future, reunited us, and we continued to fight once for freedom once again."

"That's quite the life you've had," Gohan commented. "I'm sorry that you and your friends were separated, but it's great that you found them again. Where are they? Can I meet them?"

Kohlra let out a heavy, somewhat conflicted sigh. "I haven't spoken to any of them in quite some time. We were reunited in battle, but our spirits and beliefs still hindered us. Our paths have diverged once again. But let us speak of more important things!" he began to wrap up. "Tell me, does this place look familiar to you?"

Gohan took another look around. While unusually fresh, the air did feel just a bit familiar. That deep blue backdrop over him made him feel at home, as if he were back on Earth. It spurred a sudden glance at the mountain behind them, only to realize it resembled more of a plateau than anything else. Piece by piece, he began to put the situation together. This plateau in front of them was none other than the very same one that Piccolo threw him at when he was just a toddler. "I remember… he was so angry, annoyed at me. Then… I got angry, and unleashed something I never thought I could."

"This realm we stand in is called the 'Temporal Realm.' It is a dimension that is separate from both time and space itself. This particular plane we stand in right now is your area, a sanctuary to show you your path as a Super Saiyan God. At one point, all of our areas were connected by gateways we called 'Roads,' like the one you took to get here. But darkness has obstructed the Roads, and thus we have lost contact with each other. However, when your group underwent the ritual, new Roads were formed. Connections, formed by the pure of heart, free from the darkness that exists within our realm. The Crimson Realm."

"This is incredible," Gohan remarked as he felt the grass. It was just as real as he remembered back at home. There was a pond nearby, where he recalled being dropped into by Piccolo. "This is the day I became aware of the hidden power within me."

"It was quite a shock to you and Piccolo both, but especially you. Your entire world was shaken that day. You had just lost your father, you couldn't see your mother, and now you were expected to harness a power you didn't even know how to use in order to beat two invading Saiyans far stronger than you. This is what the Crimson Realm does. It takes from your memories and forms your area to show you your path."

Gohan turned back to the man and adjusted his glasses as he asked, "What is my path?"

"That is for you to decide," he answered. "For instance, I myself have cultivated this power from pure, raw anger. I disliked the fluidity and control this divine energy originally had, so I bent it to my will with sheer rage. Because of this, I am known as the Super Saiyan God of Rage. What you become is entirely up to you, my young scholar. But I think we've touched on enough for today."

"Wait, your title is the Super Saiyan God of Rage?" Gohan gawked. "You're so nice and calm, though. I never would have expected that."

"Rage is not always screaming and yelling," Kohlra stated. "Rage can be silent, subdued, focused. Anger and rage can result in prodigious power, but it must be controlled. If you allow such emotions to consume you, then you will have no hope and perish underneath this path's power."

"G- Geez…" Gohan winced. "I suppose I should exercise some caution in training further with this power then."

"Absolutely not!" Kohlra barked. "You will proceed to evolve this power and tower above all!"

"I will?"

Kohlra boisterously laughed at the young man and patted him on the back. His hand was so big, it nearly knocked the poor scholar over. "You must cast aside these doubts and fears that shackle you. At many points in your life, you have proved yourself to be the strongest warrior, surpassing even your father. You can become legendary, Gohan. You just have to believe in yourself."

Gohan nodded. His fists clenched with new determination. His Saiyan blood boiled in anticipation to get into the Time Chamber for a few months to test the limits of his Super Saiyan God powers, and what lay beyond. "I understand, Kohlra. I won't let you or anyone else down anymore. I'll find my path and become the warrior I was always meant to be!"

"That's the spirit," Kohlra smiled. "Now, I think it's time we get you back to your own world. You've got a lot of work to do."

"How do I return here?"

"It's simple," Kohlra said as he ignited the fiery aura of the godly ki within him.. He then raised his hand and focused his energy in front himself. "You simply call forth your divine energy and concentrate a mass of it in front of you. So long as you have a strong connection with the place you wish to visit, then you can open a Road to anywhere."

A ring of fire appeared in front of Gohan. Again, a bright light concealed what lay on the other side of the gateway. But he could feel the many life forces of the students and professors that roamed the hallways on their way to classes. He turned back to the man who stood smiling at him. "Thank you for today, Kohlra. I'll see you again soon."

"As your guide, I am of service whenever you require my assistance," the man bowed respectfully.

Gohan bid the man a final good-bye as he stepped through the Road and emerged in his office. The air became noticeably more stuffy, and he immediately opened the window behind his chair. Fresh air poured in like a tidal wave crashing through a building. He checked his watch, and was surprised to see that not even a minute had passed. If anything, only a few seconds went by while he was in the Crimson Realm. _Well, Kohlra __**did**__ say that place was separate from space and time…_

The Saiyan's rather subdued and calm personality still confounded him. _To be the Super Saiyan God of Rage, yet to be so calm and in control… its astonishing. But it's also strange. I couldn't sense a power level, nor a life signature from him. I did, however, sense spiritual and divine energy. Reminds me of the way dad felt when he visited us before Majin Buu attacked…_

Before he could think any further on the matter, the rap of a fist on the other side of his office door shocked him back to reality. He checked his watch, seeing it was only five minutes into his break, and he let out a long sigh. _No rest for the wicked,_ he thought to himself with a tired smile. The young professor took a seat behind his desk and adjusted his glasses. They were just a bit too big and tended to fall down his nose. A nuisance.

"Come in!" he called out.

**. . .**

Vegeta stood on the balcony of his room at Lord Beerus's domain. The prince found the decent size of his room to be rather overwhelming. He had never been one for having many possessions. Perhaps a souvenir from a planet he invaded back when he worked for Frieza,but never anything of true value. Not only that, he hardly found anything worth keeping where many would describe such things in question as interesting. His mind wandered back to the thought of Frieza, and gave him the idea. If he had to pick a single thing he would have in his room, aside from the essentials, would be the tyrannical Frost Demon's head mounted on his wall like a hunted animal. As he began to consider what form he would like to have Frieza in- Final Form would make a statement to his strength, but his First Form's face was more widely known throughout the universe. Should anyone see the severed head of Frieza's First Form, there would be no doubt that it was the space emperor. He continued to ponder on the thought, but found his rising interest to be spoiled by the sudden, but extremely familiar and grating, young, jovial voice.

"Yoo-hoo! Prince Vege-e-e-e-eta!" cried the voice with almost too much excitement. He could hardly contain his amused snickering upon seeing a vein of pure rage throb on the prince's forehead.

"... What do you want, Yamoshi?" Vegeta asked rather hesitance, as he felt the need to mentally prepare himself before having a conversation with his guide.

"C'mon, man. You know we gotta talk," the man reminded him with a hint of urgency.

"I'd much rather die," Vegeta spat back.

"That's the spirit!" the young man proclaimed. Whether or not he was oblivious to Vegeta's comment or if he just didn't care was a mystery to him.

A Road opened in front of the prince. Already, Yamoshi could feel Vegeta's anger thicken the air in the realm as he passed through. Soon, albeit reluctantly, the prince emerged and was face to face with the young man, a full-blooded Saiyan sporting ancient armor that Vegeta had seen in books before. The outfits were roomier, often being made of material that worked well with Saiyans who could allegedly bring out the power of their Great Ape in their human form. Though, that was thought to be just a legend amongst the Saiyans. A trait belonging only to the Legendary Super Saiyan. But since he'd witnessed Kakarot's awakening of the Super Saiyan form, a power not seen for a thousand years, he figured that anything would be possible at this point.

Vegeta tsked as he looked around the stone dining hall that was his area. It was the same dining hall he and his family would often gather in back when he lived on Planet Vegeta. The chairs and tables were made of marble. Extremely uncomfortable. But he remembered being of the royal family, his father, instead of being a sensible man and rebuilding the furniture out of something more comfortable, paid an exorbitant amount of money for pillows. _"These aren't just any pillows- these pillows are made from the softest material in the entire universe!"_ his father would always tell him.

Vegeta took to the window, which was just a carved-out section of stone with no sort of glass or paneling whatsoever. It overlooked the main country the Saiyans colonized on Planet Vegeta. He could almost smell the food from the market that resided just outside of the royal castle. Already, he could hear Yamoshi dragging a chair up to him. The ancient Saiyan gazed out at the province with him. "I can always appreciate a good view."

Vegeta said nothing.

"You know we have to talk, Prince Vegeta."

The prince chose silence once more.

Yamoshi let out an uncomfortable sigh as he continued. "Listen, man. I don't like this anymore than you do. Quite honestly, the whole thing weirds me out."

A vein throbbed on Vegeta's forehead.

"There's no excuse anymore. I told you the first time you came here that this power begs for the user's self-improvement. We've gotta do it, Vegeta. Like a bandage, just rip it off. Out with it."

Vegeta shut his eyes and began to implement some breathing techniques in order to attempt meditating. Though he hated the practice, it was part of his training under Whis, and he _did_ need to work on it, after all. Trying to block out Yamoshi could be the perfect practice for him.

"Tell me why you're secretly in love with Kakarot."

"Okay, that's it. I'm leaving," announced the prince as he opened a Road in front of himself.

"W- Wait!" Yamoshi pleaded. "Fine, I'll stop. I was just trying to make you laugh a little. You looked like you needed it."

"If you brought me here just to make me laugh, then I'm **definitely** leaving."

Yamoshi clenched his fist and forcefully closed the Road Vegeta opened. The prince looked back at the ancient, but young man. "Don't look so surprised. Did you forget my title? I'm the Original Super Saiyan God. I've been cultivating this power since before you were born. Also, I'm your great-great-great-great - well, you get the idea. Point is, its Saiyan custom to show elder Saiyan warriors respect."

"I still can't believe we're related," Vegeta angrily grumbled to himself.

"I know, right? Crazy odds," Yamoshi agreed.

From the look on the man's face, Vegeta couldn't tell if he was being intentionally oblivious or if he truly didn't understand the depths of the prince's annoyance. He reminded him far too much of that clown Kakarot.

"So anyway, I've called you back here to ask if you'd done anymore thinking to what we talked about last time you were here," revealed the man.

"So that's what this is about?" Vegeta asked with a scoff. "No, I'm not doing it. Taking up the mantle of Destroyer would be far too limiting. I'll go beyond the gods and prove that Prince Vegeta is the strongest of all!"

Yamoshi chuckled at the man's conviction. "You remind me a lot of a good friend of mine. I have to say though, I'm rather disappointed to hear your decision. Personally, it would have been great to see one of us out there as a Destroyer."

"I'm not going to sit around and listen to you come up with ideas for your fan fiction."

"What's fan fiction?"

Vegeta sighed as he remembered, though the man was technically younger than him, he existed in a time far before his. "It's a genre of story writing. My son and his friend write it about their video games or whatever. They put their own spin on it, from what they tell me. Their imaginations are wild, so it's good they have an outlet."

"That was… unexpectedly wholesome of you," said a stunned Yamoshi. His heart was rather warm, but in a very uncomfortable, unfamiliar way. A monologue like that was hard to hear, coming from the cold warrior. It felt good, but very weird. "I would have thought someone like you would've wanted their kids to become warriors like you."

Vegeta tsked as he turned away, attempting to conceal himself from the man's judging, and also impish smirk. "Don't go getting the wrong idea. I would have liked for them to have continued their training. The potential they had at such a young age was astonishing."

"Speaking of potential, have you given any more thought to that _other_ thing we talked about?"

"Oh, no. Hell, no! There is absolutely _no way_ I'm getting a training partner, let alone bring that slacker along!" he snapped.

"Oh, come on," Yamoshi groaned. "I bet you didn't even consider it! I can guarantee you he's not slacking anymore. C'mon, you've felt it, too. Don't play dumb with me."

Vegeta fell quiet. He knew what his guide said was true, though he hadn't expected to be called out on it. "What makes you think he's going to stick with it this time?"

"Well, call it a hunch, but I think he's on the path to realizing his full potential."

"If he could do that…" Vegeta stopped. The thought of his training partner being someone who held such a vast well of potential finally realizing their full power was exhilarating to say the least. His Saiyan blood boiled hotter than ever, anticipation sending the itch to battle even higher than when he fought Kakarot before the revival of Majin Buu. "To think that little runt is finally growing up. If what you say is true, and these powers improve faster when paired with another, then there would be no other training partner than _him,_" he ended with a small smirk.

"That's the spirit," Yamoshi said with a smile. "Now go get 'em, ya little whippersnapper," he urged as he opened a gateway in front of the prince.

"I'm older than you."

"Do what grandpa says and go into the light."

Vegeta smirked. He didn't have to be told twice. Hell, he was happy to finally escape the confines of that old, dusty dining hall, and even happier to be away from the far-too-cheerful and eccentric man that was his guide. But as the prince emerged on the other side of the portal, he quickly saw that this was not his room at Lord Beerus's castle.

Much to his surprise, he was back home. But not his _actual_ home at Bulma's. This was indeed Earth, but the prince stood on the doorstep of a strange house that he'd never seen before. Painted in the orange light of the bright evening, the house was rather quaint and small. He likened its appearance to Kakarot's house, though he only saw it one time during a celebration he was forced to attend after they defeated Majin Buu. Something about the place felt a bit familiar, however. He could sense three people inside- Pan, Videl, and Gohan. Vegeta began to mentally berate himself for not seeing through his guide's trick. _Of course he would send me here. Just what the hell am I supposed to do? Ask him, 'Hey, Gohan! Do you want to fight?' … God, that sounds like something Kakarot would say. And to think, I'm here for his __**son**__, and not him. This is just bizarre. _

Vegeta continued his deliberation, completely oblivious as Gohan opened the door. He sensed Vegeta's life force and the appearance of the gateway he traveled through the second they both appeared. "Hey, Vegeta!"

"Gah!" The boy's cheerful greeting snapped him back to reality. "Oh. Uh… H- Hey, there, Gohan! I was just in the neighborhood and…" _H- Hold on, why am I making excuses?! The Prince of all Saiyans does __**not**__ make excuses!_

"Ah, what a coincidence," Gohan suddenly replied. "I was just grading some papers."

Vegeta then took notice that the man was dressed in a rather unsightly green tracksuit. "Did you plan on going for a little evening stroll?"

Gohan smirked. "Well, it just so happens I did. Care to walk with me, Vegeta?"

"I'm not here to play games."

"Then why _are_ you here?" Gohan asked, eyeing the prince curiously, as they both knew he had absolutely no reason to be there at nine in the evening. Or at least, to most Earthlings, Vegeta had no reason. But these two were Saiyans, and it only took the look in Vegeta's eyes for Gohan to know what the reason was for his sudden appearance.

Thinking quick on his feet, he established a telepathic connection with his wife. _"Hey, Videl. Vegeta's here. I think this is it."_

"_Wow…" she thought back to him, cradling their sleeping daughter in her arms. "So, that means you'll be even busier now, huh?"_

"_I know. It isn't exactly ideal, but I need to train with Vegeta. Just for a little bit. I've been back to see Kohlra a few times. He told me our powers can change and even develop exponentially when we train with one another. If I'm going to protect the Earth from people like Lord Beerus, then I need to do this."_

"_Then you go get 'em," she encouraged him. "Show 'em who's the strongest man out there!"_

Gohan refocused his attention back on Vegeta. The prince closed himself off with his tightly folded arms and eyes that were aimed off to the side. He could see there was something on the tip of his tongue, but his mouth just refused to utter it. Taking mercy on the prince, he guessed, "I'm assuming you're here to test my strength, from one Super Saiyan God to another."

"This is a test, and nothing more," Vegeta made clear. "Don't you even think about getting any big ideas about training with me, alright? Whether or not you come back with me is Whis's decision. Not mine."

Gohan smirked at the challenge. "I see, so Whis is the one I need to impress."

"Don't focus on him. Focus on me!" Vegeta attacked, his fist soaring towards the young man's face.

Gohan stood, ready. But he knew the prince wasn't going to connect. Not here. "Trust me, I'm focused."

Vegeta could see in his eyes that there was some sense of a warrior in there, much like when he fought Cell. Perhaps there was some truth to what Yamoshi was saying. _But if that were so, how would he know? He said the paths were diverged by darkness. Is it possible he can still sense the other gods?_

Now wasn't the time to think about that. If they were going to have their battle, this definitely wasn't the place to do it. There was only one domain that he could think for them to have their battle, free of distractions and things to get in the way. Vegeta opened a Road, and the two stepped through, Gohan following him.

The bright light overtook their vision, but as they emerged, the air began to weigh down on their bodies. It was as if it grew ten times thicker, and that was when Gohan was able to open his eyes. They had arrived in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, right outside of the building they would normally enter in at.

"Huh, so you can open a Road to here, too?" Gohan remarked. "I imagine you must have built a pretty good connection when you were here with the Trunks from the future."

"That's none of your business," Vegeta snipped as he flew out into the expansive void. He took his place and donned his fighting stance just a few meters away from Gohan and ignited the fiery blaze of his god ki. His body became cloaked in a burning red aura, but unlike before, it retained its normal bulk, rather than slimming down. The pressure his ki expanded was massive. Had this been before his own godly awakening, Gohan would have almost certainly found it hard to breathe underneath the prince's energy. But this was an entirely different Gohan from before.

"Wow, it seems like you've managed to evolve your Super Saiyan God form," Gohan observed.

"You're the first opponent I've been able to test this fortified power on," Vegeta announced. "You should feel proud in being the first to witness my Evolved Super Saiyan God's power!"

"The difference in your power before is incredible. But…" Figuring he could show the prince better than he could explain, Gohan unleashed his own divine energy. A similar bright, scarlet fire began to bleed from his body, and his hair began to burn like flames in the wind. With a powerful roar that shook the endless void itself, he ascended into his own Super Saiyan God form. "I can easily close that gap between us."

Vegeta stood, astounded at the man's battle power. It far exceeded anything he expected, which, if he was being honest with himself, wasn't much to begin with. Not only did Gohan's form allow him to retain his bulk, he actually seemed to increase in muscle mass. His tracksuit grew tighter around him as his arms, legs, and entire body thickened with an intense power that was unlike anything he felt before. The most prominent difference between their forms were his eyes. Piercing orbs of yellow glared back at the prince, and his energy had a certain wild flow to it. "Perhaps I've underestimated you," Vegeta admitted. "This could be a good warm-up."

"Warm-up?" Gohan asked, a bead of sweat pooling on his head out of nerves. The notion that this was going to be an exercise before the actual fight shook him a bit. "Well, guess it's a good thing I wore my tracksuit, huh?"

"Oh, shut up!" Vegeta barked as he rushed the man.

Gohan braced himself, reacting out of shock at the prince's sudden lunge. But he could see every single movement he made, from the bend of his legs as he took off, to the wind back and tightening of his fist. There was a right hook coming for his face, and he responded accordingly. Vegeta struck his opponent's forearm. His knuckles cracked against the hybrid's muscles unexpectedly hard. He struck again, only to have the same effect. The young warrior hardly moved from his spot, barely even being pushed back. And these punches were no mere potshots either. Vegeta found himself putting considerable force behind each hit, only to gain no ground. He retreated back a few paces and examined the situation.

_His defenses are incredible,_ Vegeta remarked in thought. _I couldn't even bugde him just now. Seems like he's studied how to use his powers._

Gohan could see Vegeta sizing him up, and couldn't help but do the same. _Well, I didn't expect to be on par with him. But that just means my training with dad, Piccolo, and the others has paid off,_ he thought with a proud smirk. Emboldened by his level of power, he took his fighting stance once more. "Now it's my turn," he declared as he began to approach his opponent.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow, surprised that the young warrior began to draw near. "Oh? You're coming at me?" he asked with a heavy sarcastic tone.

Gohan could only smirk at the prince's attempts to get in his head. "Please. I'm not just coming at you- I'm going to defeat you."

"That's quite a statement," Vegeta chuckled. "You may have high defenses, but let's see if you've got the power to back up your big mouth."

This time, he did. Gohan charged. His fists was cocked back, and Vegeta saw the punch coming plain as day. But it was a feint- the prince was tricked. There was nothing he could do as an elbow crashed into his jaw. He stumbled back, only to be swept off his feet. His body flew sideways, parallel to the ground as Gohan sprung himself up from his low kick. Now above Vegeta, he fired a Masenko at point blank that exploded right in his face. A cloud of dust was kicked up, and the force rippled throughout the chamber.

Outside on the Lookout, Dende and Mr. Popo turned their heads back towards the double doors to the chamber. They could both feel an obscene amount of pressure emanating from deep within, spilling out into their world.

"Goodness. Those doors will hold, yes?" asked the demigod as he looked at the quivering young guardian.

"H- Honestly, the chamber wasn't built to accompany battles like this in mind. At least, not when Gohan asked me to remove the limit so he could train a few months every other weekend. Having him and Tien in there at the same time was enough, but him and Vegeta… they could destroy the entire room!"

Back in the chamber, the dust began to clear from the site of Gohan's previous attack. The young warrior had put some distance between himself and the prince, and waited patiently for him to get up. Vegeta's form became visible through the smoke, and soon it could be seen that he hardly had a scratch on him, though his black battle suit had a few rips and tears in it. Beneath him was a splintered ground that neither one of them thought could be damaged or torn apart. "Not too bad," Vegeta commented. "Why don't you say we take this up a notch?"

The prince slowly rose, taking to the skies. Gohan followed suit, soaring up until the two met a few hundred feet off of the ground. He could tell by the look in Vegeta's eyes that the battle was just beginning. But so far, he was pleasantly surprised to be even with the prince so far. The battle was just getting started, though. He knew it would do him well to stay alert.

Vegeta exploded into action, bursting forward with incredible speed. Gohan could barely counter the incoming haymaker as they began to match blow for blow. Their fists flew furiously, striking knuckle against knuckle that blew shockwaves through the void. A struggle ensued, the prince, jabbing for an opening, and Gohan, viciously defending himself whilst trying to counter. Vegeta suddenly had him on the ropes, displaying power that he hadn't before. His strikes were stronger and more precise, and with each one, he began to see the chips in the man's defenses. It wasn't long before the prince broke his way through Gohan's guard and sent him flying with a quick, sharp kick that nailed him in the back of the neck. The young scholar was blown away deep over the horizon.

But Vegeta pursued him. Gohan recovered just in time to realize that the prince was on him again. He appeared in a flash and brought his clasped, gloved hands down like a sledgehammer. Pain rippled through Gohan's body as he slammed against the ground. With arms wide spread, Vegeta continued his assault and dived at the man. He became cloaked in a blue, almost electric-like aura that sparked like lightning. Quick as a whip, his hair switched to a light blue, and his power multiplied exponentially as he ascended. In his new form, Vegeta collided with the young warrior, and let loose an explosive discharge of ki upon impact. The entire area was engulfed in a massive eruption, the ground giving way underneath them. A pit formed, and clouds of thick, black smoke billowed from within.

Vegeta appeared a few meters away, now clad in his red aura once again. "That was a taste of my power beyond that of Super Saiyan God," he explained, holding firm that his Explosive Wild Hunt was enough to deal some damage.

Gohan emerged from the wreckage and brushed his tracksuit off. Though it was tattered and torn much like Vegeta's uniform, he, too, showed little to no signs of any wounds. _That sure was something. If I didn't brace myself just before he hit me, that could've been bad._ His body tingled, reacting to the higher form that Vegeta displayed. The way he just attacked, ascending to a higher form to attack, made him think. _That might have just been a taste, but even so… he dropped out of that other form pretty quickly. Did he really only intend to show it off for just that attack, or is something else going on? _

He knew there was only one way to find out. At once, Gohan began to raise his power with a powerful yell. More of his godly reserves were summoned from deep within, and his body became fortified in a thicker aura. A sinister yellow glow glared Vegeta down with what felt like the intent to kill.

The prince found his body beginning to twitch, as if he had the primal urge to lash out at the young, now wild-haired warrior. It recalled him back to his first fight with Kakarot, when he transformed into a Great Ape and unleashed his true, primal strength. It was then that he realized- the man's energy had a similar quality to it when he transformed as a runt and nearly killed him during his battle with Kakarot. _So that's it,_ the prince thought to himself with a smirk. _He's somehow learned how to channel the power of the Great Ape into his god form. It seems he's got complete control over it as well. H- Hold on a second! Don't tell me the spawn of Kakarot, or worse yet, Kakarot __**himself**__, is the Legendary Super Saiyan?!_

Gohan stood, ready to fight. He could hear his heartbeat throbbing in his ear like mallets rapping against a bass drum in the backdrop of a war. His aura turned blood red before him, as he pulled from the depths of his pure and good heart, the level of malice and rage he would need to access this part of his form.

Without a word, the young warrior rushed forward. He nearly broke the sound barrier as he socked Vegeta square in the jaw. The prince stumbled back, unable to follow the movements of his opponent. Gohan struck again with a rib-shattering kick to the prince's side. Blood erupted from his mouth and stained the leg of Gohan's tracksuit.

Vegeta backed away, clenching his ribcage as he tried to breathe through what he was sure to be a piece of bone piercing into his lung. Every breath in and out was white hot pain that blurred his vision. But within a few seconds, he could feel the bone slowly remove itself from his lungs. There was a warmth within him, and his side began to burn with an especially bright fire. The pain that once rippled through his body had faded, and it was as if he had never even been attacked. He mentally cursed himself for allowing the regenerative powers of his form to assist him, but he knew this was just a superficial fix. _I can't recover stamina, and those blows took a lot out of me. Even with this form's substantially higher defensive capabilities, he still powered through. _"Just how in the hell did you obtain this level of power?" he demanded to know.

Gohan chuckled and relaxed himself. The once ominous, somewhat murderous yellow glow in his eyes faded, but the intensity to his aura was still very much thickening the air. "So, you _do_ have a healing factor..." he took note of before addressing him. "I've undergone the harshest training I could have imagined with my dad and Piccolo. They both helped me gain control of the Great Ape that dwells within me, and showed me how I can access that power. And now…" He demonstrated his new level of power by pulling forth from what seemed to be an endless wellspring of ki. The very void they stood in shook beneath the wrath of enraged god as he released the full potential of his form. Whirlwinds, what almost felt like hurricanes, even, began to whip out from the man's rise to action. With great control, he called forth every ounce of his primal power and ascended into an evolved state of his own- Enraged Super Saiyan God.

Vegeta floated, not petrified, but stricken still by Gohan's indomitable power. He always knew from the moment he met him, that he possessed an incredible hidden power. It was back on Arlia when he learned of Raditz's defeat that he was made aware of the potential that was a hybrid Earthling-Saiyan child. Time and time again, this was displayed to him. Through fights with the Ginyu Force, Frieza, Cell, and even Majin Buu, he had learned to gain control of the power that dwelled within him. And now, before him, stood a true, seasoned warrior that had been able to discover the depths of his power. And his power only kept climbing, steadily higher.

Could those old legends that he heard of the Legendary Super Saiyan be true? A rare mutation in the Saiyan race, found only once every thousand years. Just as a mere child, they would be born with a power that far outstripped any seasoned elite, with rumors that it would only increase. Unlimited battle power, unsurpassable strength, and rage that could burn the entire universe to ashes. Vegeta felt as if he stood in front of that very same legend right now. His body couldn't help but quiver underneath Gohan's might, as he felt the power surpass what his current evolved state was capable of.

"Incredible…" the prince marveled. "I have to admit, Gohan. You've grown into quite the warrior. It seems you've finally shed whatever it was that held you back before. I guess our warm-up is finally over." He began to call from his own deep reserves of divine energy. His ki flared, and began to spark like lightning bolts. A blue aura enveloped his body as he pushed through the limits of his evolved god form. It ran much sharper than the flame-like energy his previous form exuded. "This is Super Saiyan Blue, the Super Saiyan form of Super Saiyan God."

"Bring it on," Gohan encouraged with a smirk as he took his stance. He could feel his own muscles thicken with his tremendous ki rising by the second. His blood began to boil with anticipation, as did Vegeta's. Though the prince had an outwardly calm and composed expression on his face, inside, he, too, felt the excitement. He couldn't help but smile.

The void trembled beneath their combined might as they lunged at one another. Their fingers were interlocked, auras swirling as they both fought valiantly to overpower one another. Gohan propelled his knee forward and rammed it into Vegeta's jaw. He battered him a second time and the prince reeled back in pain. His grip released on the young warrior, and Gohan rushed in. Shot after shot rang into Vegeta's stomach as the boy's aura flared to life. Vegeta had managed to throw his arms over his midsection, but every punch to his forearm hit like a jackhammer. He felt his limbs begin to tremble beneath Gohan's tremendous slugs, and knew they would give out soon. But this was what he needed, as the barrage gave him time to examine the boy's stance. Though he finally learned how to throw a punch, his stance held virtually no guard. Something Vegeta exploited.

Gohan reeled back and threw one more powerful punch that shattered the prince's guard. The young wild-haired god seized what he thought to be the perfect opportunity to land a powerful blow. As he moved to strike, he suddenly lost sight of his opponent. His vision became clouded with a blue aura, and his senses began to scream danger to him. A pair of gloves placed themselves on his breasts, and he looked down to see none other than the smug smirk of the blue prince as he unleashed a massive wave of ki from his hands. The blast engulfed Gohan as he disappeared deep into a shocking blast.

A powerful explosion rang throughout the void. It nearly blew the building over, despite it standing far into the distance. Though Vegeta felt the blast connect, he knew that the boy was still very much alive and well in the stack of smoke. He began to rain down a maelstrom of energy blasts like a machine gun. Each one pummeled against the barrier Gohan threw up to protect himself. With the smoke worsening by every blast, combined with the bright flashes of light that as each attack hit, his vision quickly became obscured. Ears, assaulted by the constant bang and boom of the blasts. Almost all of his senses were bombarded and overwhelmed by the prince's powerful attack.

But there was one sense Gohan had yet to make full use of. He shut his eyes, and let himself calm down. As his power continued to climb, he could feel his shield become more fortified. While the prince was fooled into thinking the blasts were hitting him, Gohan took the opportunity to feel out each individual energy wave that smacked into him. They rained down from above, seemingly endlessly. It became clear to Gohan that though it was always Vegeta's style to rely predominantly on ki blasts, this Super Saiyan Blue of his allowed him to put out high, concentrated volumes of energy at a rather ridiculous rate. But amongst the many blasts raining down on him, he could feel the pressure from Vegeta's divine being. He could also feel the strain the prince's body was plagued by as he continued the assault.

Gohan formulated his plan, and began his counterattack. He retracted his shield to conform to his body like a suit of armor. His aura flared as he charged through the hellfire of bolt-like blasts and swung a right hook into the prince's jaw. A loud crack echoed through the chamber as Gohan pulled back to blast him with a Masenko. He could only feel his power rise and the beam grow more devastating as he unleashed his full power onto the prince. Vegeta couldn't even guard as he found himself overtaken by the blast. A white-hot intensity burned through the plating of his armor, and threatened to blow him out of existence. On the other end of the beam, he could feel Gohan getting stronger and stronger, while he felt the power of his Super Saiyan Blue diminish.

He had to do something, or else he was finished. And to be beaten by the son of Kakarot, nonetheless, did not sit well with the man's pride. Inside, a fire began to burn. Not out of rage, but out of determination. "_I will __**NOT **__be defeated by you, or anyone!"_ he suddenly proclaimed from beneath the blast. **"I. AM THE PRINCE OF ALL SAIYANS! EVEN YOU, GOHAN!"**

Gohan found himself unexpectedly smirking at the prince's determination as he blurted, "Then try your best to make me kneel before you!" He began to pump more energy into his blast, utilizing his increasing energy as he continued to call from what felt like an endless wellspring of potential.

All Vegeta could see was the white hot intensity of Gohan's beam. His arms couldn't move, his legs couldn't move- he was helpless. Despite his form's ability to output energy at high rates, it paled in comparison to the energy Gohan possessed. And it only continued to increase as he called forth not what he thought to be just the primal power of his Great Ape, but it seemed he pulled from the sheer potential he had deep within. When he unleashed his potential, he drew from the dormant power that lay in him. But now, this whole time, he had been in his Potential Unleashed state, with Super Saiyan God stacked on top. To even further increase his power, he drew from the power of the Great Ape within him, that now, to Vegeta, seemed to be something far greater than just the Great Ape itself. Was there some secret to the form that Vegeta was clueless about that Gohan, and possibly even Kakarot, discovered?

As he continued to be battered by the boy's ever-rising power, Vegeta knew there was nothing he could do. But that didn't stop him from fighting. His eyes stayed open, regardless of how hot and intense the pain was that rippled through his body. He had to keep fighting. The Prince of all Saiyans, with his sheer will, unleashed a massive explosion that pushed the blast back. Shocked, Gohan continued to push back against the prince. But he could feel his beam be forced back towards him. His arms began to cramp and tremble as the sheer power of his attack seemed to be coming back at him. From within the blast, Vegeta's screams pierced through the void as he unleashed a Final Explosion. The very same attack he used against Majin Buu.

Gohan's beam was destroyed, and he soon found the explosion rapidly encroaching upon him. He thrusted his arms forward and grabbed the energy with his bare hands, pushing back as he called forth more of his power. From his Super Saiyan form and beyond, he bravely summoned the full potential that lay dormant within him. "I… **am a warrior!"** Gohan declared as he began to feel his form change. The vast amounts of energy from the different forms within him mixed. He could feel his power burn in his head, calling for him to win. Calling for the prince's defeat. Calling for the power to protect the family and world he loved.

It then came back to the man, why he decided to train again. To protect his wife, daughter, father, mother, and everyone on the Earth. He may have failed with Cell and Buu, but today, he would succeed. Vegeta was no threat, but he was a test. To see if he had what it would take to do what he realized he was born to do- to protect the world. His resolve spurred a sudden transformation, and his aura changed from the intense crimson to a wild green. The yellow eyes that glared at Vegeta were gone, and there were no pupils present. Blinded by the incredible power that swelled within him. His hair grew wild, like the messy mane of a lion, but spiked with intensity. The shirt of his tracksuit had been blown off by the sheer increase in muscle mass the man underwent.

But the blast suddenly stopped. What incredible energy Gohan's beam possessed had been condensed into a small, compact orb. It floated in the hand of a figure covered in a bright, blinding light that encompassed the entire void. The air began to swell with heat, so intense that the air grew hard to breathe. A wild surge of energy escaped from the mysterious individual's hand as the Masenko was crushed, reduced to atoms that dissipated in the air.

Gohan could only look on as a pair of silver eyes leered back at him. The light began to lift from the warrior's body, and Vegeta emerged. His aura burned with resilience, a blue as royal as his blood. It looked as if the prince had reverted to his base form, but his aura and the look in his eyes painted a very different picture. The power Gohan could feel emanating from him was absurdly high, reaching far past what he was currently capable of in his new form.

In an instant, Vegeta had closed in and threw a kick. It was as if his body moved on its own, only realizing what he had done shortly after he looked down. Gohan had managed to duck out of the way. His fist clenched and swung with the full power of his rage-induced form, and Vegeta reacted immediately. Without a second thought, he met the man's fist with his own. The world around them began to shatter between their combined power.

Both warriors drew back from one another, breathing the first breath of fresh air they had gotten in some time. Beneath their feet, what felt like an actual surface made of tile. The two of them looked around to see that they had somehow been transported back to the Lookout. A shocked and confused Dende and Mr. Popo stood in the distance, stricken silent by their appearance. In between them stood a strange dimensional tear that sucked in air by gulps until it shortly closed.

Before either one of them could say anything, they dropped to the ground, unconscious. Their bodies released their recently-achieved forms, and the two depressed, gasping for air. Dende rushed to Gohan's aide, while Mr. Popo tended to Vegeta. The young guardian began to flood the young man's body with energy as he revitalized him. Gohan soon came to, wheezing as he felt his collapsed lung slowly be repaired.

"What happened?!" Dende questioned. "How did you and Vegeta even end up in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?"

"I think the real question is- how did you two wind up back out here?" asked a familiar voice. The crew, those who were conscious at least, turned their heads to see the Angel, Whis, stepping out of a pillar of light, having just arrived using his hyper speed. Though, he had been fully aware of the events that transpired, thanks to his staff's insight. As he posed his question, he eyed Gohan rather discreetly.

The young warrior caught the Angel's glance. "Our power must have been so enormous that it shattered the dimension between the chamber and this world."

"Spot on," Whis complimented. "What is your name?"

"My name is Gohan."

Whis smiled as he remembered back to the man's first, and extremely short, fight against Lord Beerus. How the look in his eyes differed from back then, and how he stood before him, changed. "Well then, Gohan. You seemed to have displayed quite the power back there. I dare say, you even awakened something within Vegeta as well. Would you be interested in becoming a student of mine?"

**. . .**

"Whoa, that's incredible," Goku remarked as he sat down on the edge of the Lookout. The many breezes cooled the Super Saiyan. Though he hadn't undergone any physical training in the Pendulum Room, the mental stress made him sweat just as if he'd done a full body workout. "Well, I'm proud of him. It should be nothing short of an honor to be approached by Lord Beerus's mentor himself to be trained. Even Vegeta had to ask Whis for training. But Gohan's always been special. Of course Whis would take an interest in him."

"What do you intend to do now?" asked the demigod.

Goku shrugged, not really giving the question much thought to begin with. "Dunno. Maybe I'll go grab Tien and Chiaotzu for some training. But first, I could use somethin' to eat. You and Dende got any grub around here?"

Mr. Popo chuckled, hiding a bit of apprehension towards the man. Last time he ate, he raided the food supply of the entire Lookout and then some. "But of course, Goku. Rest. Let me prepare something for you."

Just as the demigod was about to retire into the Lookout's kitchen, both he and Goku suddenly turned their heads to the sky. They could sense a power level approaching them, rather low, but unfamiliar. And headed straight for them. Goku stood, and Mr. Popo rushed back out to the man. "What is that?" asked the Super Saiyan.

Krillin appeared, dressed in his regular clothes. "Hey, guys! I came as soon as I felt it," he called out as he touched down next to Goku.

Mr. Popo examined the direction the power levels approached from. With his extraordinary vision, he could faintly make out an object. "It appears a ship of some sort is headed for us."

"They don't seem too bad," Goku commented. "Maybe they're lost?"

"No," Mr. Popo stated. "Planes, spacecrafts, satellites- Dende and I redirect them or move the Lookout in order to avoid being discovered. This person seems intent on coming directly to us."

"Maybe we should go meet them!" announced Goku, rushing off before he could even finish his sentence. Krillin followed as closely behind as he could, his speed paling in comparison to his childhood friend's. But soon, they arrived at the ship. It had halted its course upon seeing Goku. Or rather, Goku halted it with just his hand alone.

The woman inside looked over at Krillin and called out, "Excuse me, can you tell your friend here to get his hand off of my vehicle?"

Krillin examined the woman in the ship. It was obvious by its look that she was an off-worlder, and not only that, he could tell she was not of Earthling descent. Furthermore, she sported some sort of dark, form-fitting suit of armor with a strange logo plastered on the breast of her top. He hadn't meant to size her up, but it came with the territory of being a cop. "Goku, can you let her go, please?"

"Sorry," the Super Saiyan chuckled nervously as he took his hand off the vehicle. The ship lurched forward, still in gear before the woman shut it off and stepped out. She stood at a relatively decent height, almost as tall as Goku, but towering over Krillin. Her frame could tell them she was an experienced fighter, muscles toned and primed, as if she were ready to strike at this very moment.

With a booming, commanding voice, she introduced herself. "My name is Aspari, an officer of the Galactic Patrol. I'm looking for the one called Goku."

"That's me!" Goku announced.

"Great." Aspari grit her teeth, betraying her comment. "Listen, we've received word that Cooler's Armored Squadron is going to be invading this planet. Specifically, for the purpose of fighting you, Goku."

Goku and Krillin both shot each other confused looks. Neither one of them had heard the name before, and there weren't any reasons they could think of that would make Goku a target. But as Aspari saw the clueless look on their faces, she began to explain. And once she began to explain, it all became clear.

"We have reason to believe Cooler is after you because you defeated his brother, Frieza, on Namek. Not only that, but they've been spying on you for the past few years. They've known about you all for quite some time now, and it seems they've been waiting for you to grow stronger."

"Of course!" Goku proclaimed. "This Cooler guy sounds strong. Definitely stronger than Frieza. If he really wants a good fight, it would make sense he would wait for me to get stronger."

"That's… unusually perceptive of you," Krillin remarked. "So how've they been spying on us? Let me guess- little spy robots that track our every move?"

Aspari glared the small man, who seemed to shrink underneath her gaze. "You know somethin' I don't?"

Krillin chuckled nervously. "No, not at all. I don't mean to step on your toes. This just isn't our first time being stalked is all."

Aspari scoffed with a bit of disbelief. "Please. You guys don't know what you're up against. Cooler's Armored Squadron is the strongest band of criminals out there. They've never failed in conquering a planet. You need to gather the strongest of your people and prepare for this."

"When can we expect Cooler and his squadron to be here?" Goku asked, anticipation causing his fingers and tail to tremble.

"Six months to a year is when they're projected to arrive," the officer informed them. "We'll be in touch as we figure out more."

"H- Hold on!" Krillin requested as she hopped back into her ship. "Can you tell us anything about them at all? I mean, it's a little unfair they know all about us but we know nothing about them!"

Aspari tossed a small device out to the man. "Everything you need to know is on there. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

Krillin caught it, but no sooner did receive it that Asapri and her ship were gone. Almost in an instant. Her energy signature was nowhere within range of nearby planets. The only thing present in the wake of her disappearance was the smell of rocket fuel. "Man, I guess she was in a hurry."

"Say, what's that?" Goku asked, pointing to the device in his hand.

Krillin examined the device, only to recognize it rather quickly. "Huh, its a flash drive. Guess we should go see Bulma, huh?"

"You go on ahead," Goku told him. "I'm gonna go do some more training. All this talk of an invasion is getting me excited!"

"... You do realize an invasion is a **bad** thing, right?"

* * *

**AN: **Shout out to Pixelfun20 for their OC, Aspari!

**Update (11/12):** I've come across two open spots for OCs! I need one Galactic Patrol Officer and one Armored Squadron member. Please check out my profile for more information if you're interested!


	7. That Space Cop!

**That Space Cop!**

Krillin remained firm at Bulma's doorstep. His fist rapped against it for what felt like the thousandth time as he called out, "Hey! Bulma! You home? It's important!"

The door suddenly flew open. Trunks stood, towering over Krillin with a towel around his still dripping hair. He was still attempting to shove his arm through the wrinkled sleeve of a shirt that was half on. "Sorry man," the boy apologized in an unexpectedly deeper voice, "I was in the shower. My mom's not in right now."

Krillin could hardly believe the boy who stood in front of him was the same little boy from just a year ago. "Man, you really shot up there, didn't you? You're taller than me now! And that voice, you could be a radio host."

Trunks chuckled a bit as he finally finished putting on his shirt. "Thanks, dude. It's good to see you! How's the police work going?"

"Funny you mention that," he chuckled. "You know where I can find your mom? She's not at work, is she?"

"Nah, she just went shopping. She'll be back soon. Is there anything I can help you with?"

As Trunks asked the question, Krillin caught his sharp blue eyes glance down at the flashdrive in his hand. He quickly shoved it in his pocket and responded, "It's okay, I wouldn't want to bother you or anything. I'll just come back later." _Dammit, if he finds out about this invasion and gets an idea about fighting, Bulma's gonna kill me._

"Are you sure? It sounded pretty urgent," the boy insisted.

"R- Really, it can wait," he assured him with a nervous chuckle. _That space cop said we've got a few months, so what's a few hours?_

"Hey, Krillin, Trunks!" a deep voice called out. The two looked up to see Piccolo descending from the evening sky.

_Piccolo? That's strange; I didn't sense him coming at all,_ Krillin took note of.

The Namekian touched down next to them. "I heard what went down. Thought I'd come by and get a look at what we're gonna be dealing with for this invasion. It's not every day we can prepare ourselves this far in advance. Did you give the flashdrive to Bulma yet?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," said a floored Trunks, "we're gonna get invaded? As in like aliens and space pirates coming to our planet? No way!"

Krillin shook in fear as he imagined the hell Bulma would wrought on him for this. He pulled Piccolo aside and "Oh, great. Way to go, Piccolo! How are we gonna explain this to Bulma? There's no way she'd be okay with him fighting in something like this. If you heard everything, then I don't need to remind you that these guys are in a whole different league from Frieza!"

"Hold on," the boy interjected, "isn't Frieza that one dude you guys and my mom met on Namek? He's got a brother?"

Krillin turned back to meet the boy's curious blue eyes. He was just on the cusp of invading their huddle. "Hey, weren't you just back at the doorstep? How'd you get over here without me sensing you?"

"He's been training with Gohan and I," Piccolo stated. "Him and Goten both. They've gotten a lot stronger in the past few months."

"Yeah!" Trunks agreed. "We learned how to move in silence and mask our presence entirely. Not even Piccolo can hear us!" he boasted, voice squeaking just a bit with his rising pride and excitement."

Piccolo took notice of the boy's cockiness and shut him down immediately with a sneer. "You still need a lot more training if you're going to be undetectable to me. You weren't _nearly_ quiet enough."

Trunks' smile of confidence disappeared and his head lowered just a bit. "Man, you're always so harsh, Mister Piccolo."

"But it's that harshness that prepares you for things like this," the former guardian explained. "If you're going to participate in this, then you're going to really need to start devoting yourself to your training."

Krillin turned to the tall man, mouth agape and face sheer white at his words. "Hey, you're supposed to have some Kami in there with you too, right? Or have you lost all common sense?! It doesn't matter how strong he is- what we need to be mindful of is his mother!"

"Oh, don't worry, I've already got a plan for that," Trunks assured him. "So, we gonna look at this flash drive or not?"

"The sooner, the better," Piccolo insisted. "We can't waste any time in preparing for the enemy, especially if they already know so much about us."

Krillin began to feel himself shrinking underneath their conversation. "Um, guys? Seriously? You're not worried about Bulma?"

Trunks smirked down at the man as he revealed, "Well, if I'm being honest, I'm probably just gonna fight no matter what she says."

"Now you wait just a minute!" Piccolo suddenly snapped. "You respect your mother and her wishes. Your fighting is contingent on her permission."

_"WHAT?!"_ screeched the young boy. "But you were just encouraging-"

"It's rude to interrupt," he snapped once again, which silenced the boy. "As I was saying, your fighting is contingent on her permission. However… you still need to continue your training. If those two fools you and Goten fought when Vegeta's brother visited try to target you, then you need to be ready."

Krillin narrowed his eyes at the Namekian. "Hold on, I thought those Abo and Kado guys were remnants of Frieza's army."

"I heard a lot more than what she told you guys. She called someone once she got back in her ship and I overheard her mention Abo and Kado being part of Cooler's army. Not only that, but Vegeta's brother, Tarble, is also with them as well."

"Wait, you mean Uncle Tarble's a bad guy? There's no way! He was so chill. And those two guys turned around pretty quick after Goten's dad beat them."

Krillin sighed, as he began to understand. "It wouldn't be too crazy to think they were holding back against us. How easy it seemed for those two to drop their evil ways when they celebrated with us never sat right with me."

"Looking back, it does seem a bit odd now," Piccolo agreed. "But at any rate, we need to see what's on that device."

Krillin hesitantly handed the flash drive to Trunks, who examined it and smirked. "Honestly, it's just a flash drive. I don't see why you guys need my mom to open this."

"I just wanted to be cautious," Krillin explained. "Besides, Marron broke our computer. Eighteen's been teaching her how to defend herself and they got a little crazy."

"Oh, no way," Trunks grinned in disbelief. "Lil' Marron's _training?_ No offense, I just thought that she wasn't really into martial arts."

"She isn't," he confirmed. "Like I said, it's just to defend herself. What she really wants to be is a model when she grows up, and you know how sleazy some of those corporations can be."

Piccolo cut in, teeth grit in a slightly annoyed fashion. "If you two are finished catching up, we need to get down to business."

"... To defeat… the _huns,_" Trunks hummed to himself. The Namekian shot him a glare so sharp that it shut him right up. He just about ran from Piccolo as he led both of them to his room. The door opened, and before Piccolo and Krillin could even see anything, a wave of sweat and must nearly knocked them off their feet. All over the room were piles of clothes, dirty laundry that the boy had been too lazy to gather up and do.

"You really need to clean in here," Krillin commented.

Trunks chuckled at the tone of his voice, being reminded of his mother. He paid the man's comments no mind as he took to the computer at his desk and inserted the flash drive. Just as he hovered the mouse over to open the contents of the device, his head whipped around. There was a look in his eyes, alert, but for some reason on edge.

Piccolo eyed the boy curiously as he asked, "Something the matter?"

The boy shot up and began to chuckle rather nervously, an uneasy smile matching it. "Well, uh. I just heard my mom pull in. I was sorta supposed to have my room cleaned by the time she got back and… as you can see, I haven't done that. So, I'll leave the rest to you two. Just let me, uh…" Without explaining himself further, he turned back to his computer and began clacking furiously on the keys. Krillin tried to get a look at what the young teen was doing, but the boy had conveniently placed himself square in front of the monitor. It almost seemed strategic in a way, but before the two could even ask what he was done, he'd disappeared. Quite literally, the boy vanished in thin air, leaving Krillin slack jawed.

"Since when could he do Instant Transmission?!"

Piccolo chuckled and took to the boy's chair. "I picked up a few things from Gohan, which he picked up from Goku." He looked at the monitor and grumbled to himself as he attempted to figure out what to do. On the screen displayed a file named " ." The Namekian soon realized how little experience with Earth's technology he'd had, but he knew enough to at least know the file aptly named for them would be the correct thing to open.

"Now how do I use this damn mouse…" Piccolo fussed as he grabbed it. The cursor flew across the screen ridiculously fast as he pulled the device back toward him.

Krillin sighed and reached in to grab it from the former guardian. "Here, let me," he said as he skillfully operated the mouse and opened the file.

"Trunks!" an approaching voice called. "That room better be clean! I swear to God if-"

Krillin and Piccolo turned back, frozen as they met eyes with Bulma. She couldn't help but steal a few angered glances at her son's still messy room, but she kept a confused glare fixated on the two. "Uh… what're you two doing in my son's room?"

Piccolo said nothing. He suddenly felt the concern Krillin raised about Bulma finding out as she began to storm into the room. Her voice screeched as she demanded to know where her son was. "You're probably getting ready to go train with him, aren't you?! How many times have I told you that he _has_ to finish his chores before he does that, Piccolo?!"

As Bulma continued her tirade, moving on to the state of her son's room, there was a bit of laughter. Not from Piccolo or Krillin, as they knew far better than that, but from the monitor. "My god, you sound like you've gotten old," the voice said in between laughs.

Everyone looked back to see a woman had appeared on the screen. Krillin took notice that she wore the same uniform as Aspari did, but he and Piccolo both couldn't help but see a distinct similarity between her and Bulma almost immediately. They had nearly the same facial structure and big eyes, though hers were far darker than Bulma's.

Bulma groaned at the sight of the woman. "Oh, geez, they still let an old coot like you be an officer?"

"Screw you, I'm a captain now," she fired back.

"Hold on, you two know each other?" Krillin asked.

The woman scoffed and made eyes at Bulma. "Wow, I can't believe you. You didn't tell them about me?!"

Bulma folded her arms and turned away from the monitor, pouting like a small child. "Well, maybe if you came around more often, you would've been able to meet everyone!"

"Oh, don't put this on me. You _know_ my work takes me all across the galaxy! _SORRY_ if I happen to miss a few get-togethers."

"IT'S BEEN OVER FORTY YEARS, TIGHTS."

"Oh, you just _love_ to bring that little number up," she said with a dismissive scoff. "Anyway, I'm Tights, Bulma's older sister that she clearly forgot to mention."

Krillin and Piccolo both looked back at Bulma in disbelief, but she confirmed with a begrudging nod. Suddenly, the similarities in not only their appearances, but combative personalities, made sense. With this information, things began to connect in Krillin's head. "I see, so Aspari had to hand it off to one of us knowing we would probably take it to Bulma's, right?"

Tights smirked at the man and nodded. "Well, even if you guys didn't take it to my sister's, I'm sure the information would have made it into capable hands."

"So to what do I owe the pleasure of this out-of-the-blue video chat?" Bulma asked rather brashly. "Can't be too good if its this official."

Tights let out a long sigh. "Well, I'll keep this brief since I'm already in the process of sending you some files, and I doubt Aspari told you much either (we really need to work on her communication skills), but you guys are facing an invasion by Cooler's Armored Squadron. Cooler is Frieza's older brother, and it's possible we think he may have a vendetta against Goku for killing him. Not only that, but Tarble, Abo, and Kado are all part of Cooler's forces as well. Their little visit to Earth was nothing more than an infiltration to spy on you all, but they didn't collect nearly enough evidence the first time, probably out of fear that if they used their true power, you guys would have grown suspicious. Tarble and another one of Cooler's men by the name of Gel surveyed you all for quite some time after their 'visit'."

"Geez, this is like Doctor Gero and Cell all over again," Bulma complained. "What's next, are they gonna create some super warrior to take us all down?"

Tights laughed at her sister's comment. "Please, you'd be so lucky. They prefer to do the dirty work themselves. As of right now, they're the most vicious and brutal gang out there. They nearly killed us a few weeks ago during a surprise attack. We suffered some pretty heavy losses and we'd say we're almost just as formidable as you guys. That being said, you all should start preparing for this immediately, because I can promise you that they've been planning this for about two years now. Not only that, but they've never failed in conquering a planet."

Krillin could feel his hands shake, nerves flowing through him like the rough churning waters of an ocean current. Just the thought of Frieza and the hot wave of energy that burned him just before the tyrant obliterated his body, made him sweat. "So basically, we might be screwed."

"Stop that," Piccolo ordered. "If we defeated Frieza, then we can defeat Cooler. We'll just have to prepare ourselves just like we did against the androids and Cell."

"Easy for you to say," Krillin snipped. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't exactly have a lot going for myself in the power and fighting department. You, Goku, Gohan, and even Goten and Trunks now have all gone so far beyond what I even thought was possible. Seriously, I thought we'd all hit our limit back when Majin Buu came, but then Lord Beerus shows up and suddenly everyone's a million times stronger. Except for me, of course."

"Hey," Tights interjected, "worry about your inadequacies later. Right now, you guys need to look over the information I sent you. It's got everything we've got on those bastards. There's still a lot that we don't know, and we're still spending most of our time cleaning up after their ambush, but I hope it helps you guys. If you need to contact me, just use this flash drive."

"Not like she'll answer if you call," Bulma quipped.

"Bulma I swear to god I will shoot you," Tights threatened.

"Go ahead! You can't hit the broadside of my ass anyway!"

"Please, its so big that I'm sure any one of your friends could hit it! But I bet you save that for Yamcha, don't you?"

Bulma pounced at the monitor. Sensing the impending wrath, Piccolo and Krillin both held her back as the two began to scream obscenities at one another. Their voices screeched and howled as they hurled insults back and forth like a horrible game of catch until Krillin managed to close the video chat. Bulma soon sat down in her son's chair. The red in her face calmed as she took deep breaths, exhaling her fury all the while.

Piccolo sighed and thought to himself, _I'll never understand why Goku and Vegeta have wives with such big personalities. _

_That's probably because it takes a strong Earthling woman to handle a Saiyan,_ Gohan communicated back to him via telepathy.

_Fair point,_ Piccolo smirked. _I made sure to maintain our link through all of that. Did you get it all?_

_Sure did,_ Gohan confirmed. _Thanks, Piccolo. Update me after you guys read those files? I've gotta get back to training._

_Of course,_ he said.

Gohan gazed out the window of his room. He had never seen anything quite like Lord Beerus' domain, a world filled with lush vegetation and scenery that was a stark contrast from home. Moons hovered about in the evening sky as the sun set over the horizon, painting the pond where Whis and Vegeta stood by in a brilliant, fiery red. He soon joined them.

"Ah, welcome, Gohan," Whis said with a smile.

Gohan bowed respectfully before responding. "Hello, Mister Whis. Thank you for allowing me to train here and working with my rather busy schedule."

"Oh please, it's no trouble at all," the Angel insisted. "Besides, I was fearing that poor Vegeta here may have been getting lonely."

"That's not true at all!" Vegeta made clear immediately. "He's only here because I need to get stronger."

Whis eyed the annoyed prince as if he'd done something wrong. "Now, now, what have I told you about that? You're not just here to get stronger. You're also here to better yourself."

"Exactly," Vegeta seemingly agreed. "And the way to better myself is to become stronger."

Whis sighed. "Seems you've still got quite a bit of work to do if you're going to access that state you did earlier when you fought Gohan. Such a pity, as for a minute it seemed as if you were finally understanding my teachings, too."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed at the mention of his fight with Kakarot's son. "Just what exactly was that form I achieved earlier? It felt nothing like anything I'd experienced before."

"Tell me, Vegeta, what were you thinking just before the transformation occurred?"

Vegeta recalled the battle, the white hot wave of energy washing over him as he was engulfed by Gohan's blast. He could still feel the blast scorching him as if it were happening right there and then. But as he attempted to recall what when through his mind, he struggled to remember what happened just before he entered the mysterious state. "I just remember pain and feeling the need to break through."

The prince could see the Angel react, specifically at his need to overcome the challenge ahead of him. "Perhaps you _have_ been listening to a thing or two I've said. By all means, that blast Gohan unleashed should have killed you. However, you somehow managed to shatter the wall that held you back and tapped into a far deeper potential within yourself."

"So how do I do that again?"

"I could blast you again," Gohan suggested with a chuckle.

"Quiet, you," the prince snipped back.

Whis cut in. "I'm afraid it isn't as simple as that. What happened was an extraordinary circumstance triggered by extraordinary events that are still a mystery to us. And as for you, Gohan, that was some power you displayed during the fight. Do you know what that was?"

"I have no idea," the boy answered. "That was the first time that happened. It felt like my power just keep growing with no end."

"I noticed during the fight that your power continued to rise, even before that strange transformation," the Angel informed him. "However, unlike Vegeta, you seem to lack the healing ability that he has. But in exchange, you seem to have some sort of ability that causes your power to continuously increase over the course of battle. Not only that, but your power seemed to work in a stark contrast to Vegeta's, calling for intense emotions, rather than a calm state of mind."

"Well, my Super Saiyan God form does have the ability to heal, but it's nothing compared to Vegeta's," he admitted. "I've discovered my power does respond to intense emotions as you said, but if it's alright with you, I'd like to receive the same training as Vegeta. If I can learn how to control that power and my emotions along with it, then I think that would prove more viable than relying on my emotions."

Whis smiled in admiration of the warrior's goal. "My, seems you have quite the goal for yourself."

Gohan chuckled nervously at the Angel's comment. He felt his face flush with embarrassment as he realized he had come to the Destroyer's domain to receive training, only to already have a plan for himself. "I apologize if I stepped on your toes. What do you think should be my goal?"

"I never said there was an issue with your goal," he clarified. "But what you do need to keep in mind is that your power can easily run awry and cause you to lose control. I could sense that you had to lose yourself in the sheer power of that form in order to achieve it. You must keep a strong heart and a calm mind. The power is yours, you must wield it as your own with skill and confidence."

Gohan nodded, taking a moment to reflect upon the words of advice, rather than continue to ask questions. Vegeta scoffed as the Angel's praise of the boy's power reminded him of the tremendous gap in power between the two. _Its mind-boggling that Kakarot's kid would possess this kind of power. I always knew he was miles ahead of us in terms of strength, but this is unreal. Just what is the extent of his Super Saiyan God powers? And what's mine? I need to find a way to achieve that form again._

Both the prince and the young scholar turned their attention back to the Angel as he asked, "So, are you two ready to begin?"

* * *

**AN: **Hello, everyone! Apologies for the delay in updating and the short length of this chapter. I didn't realize the 28th was a holiday here in the states and have thus been busy with work, family, and friends. I would also like to apologize to those that have been sending me messages and I haven't been responding. I promise I'll get to everyone very soon!

It has come to my attention that I am in need of more OCs for this story. I need one more OC for the Galactic Patrol and one more for Cooler's Armored Squadron. Please see my profile for the forms, rules, and more info! Within the next few days, I'll be opening up submissions for OCs for the next arc of the story as well, which will be the tournament between Universe 6 and Universe 7. As of now, submissions will stay open indefinitely.

Next chapter: **_The Invasion Begins! An Unexpected Attack_**


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